Hungary is planning to build a second fence on its
southern border with Serbia to keep out any major new wave of refugees,
Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced.
A 500km barrier - a razor-wire fence - was built in 2015 along
Hungary's border with Serbia and Croatia after the country witnessed an
increase of refugees moving up from the Balkans towards northern
Europe.
Stricter border patrols and the makeshift wall have led to
a significant decrease in the number of refugees reaching Hungary.
In 2015 around 400,000 migrants crossed Hungary on their way to western
and northern Europe, but less than 18,000 have entered in 2016,
according to official data.
"Technical planning is under way to erect a massive
defence system next to the existing line of defence which was built
quickly [last year]," Orban said in an interview with Hungarian public
radio before adding that police presence would also be boosted to 47,000
from 44,000.
Turkey and the EU are currently working together to
minimise the number of refugees travelling from Turkey through the
Balkans to reach Europe.
Recent tensions between the EU and Turkey have led to this
deal being called into question by Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan.
If the deal breaks down, Hungary might see an increase in
refugees reaching its borders, which has prompted the plans for this
second border fence.
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