Hungarian government official: security of citizens top priority in 2018

In 2018 Europeans will prize security above all else and the Hungarian government prizes the security of the Hungarian people similarly, a government official said on Thursday.

Károly Kontrát, parliamentary state secretary of the ministry of the interior, told a news conference that in 2018 the government will devote 50 billion forints (EUR 16.1m) on top of the value of this year’s allocation in support of the operations and development of the police and the counter-terrorism and national security agencies in order to handle the problem of migration affecting Europe and the persistent danger of terrorism.

He added that as long as migration is on the agenda, the government will maintain border-protection measures.

“Border defences protect not only the Hungarian people but also the security of Europe as a whole,” he said.

Tamás Vargha, parliamentary state secretary for defence, said Hungarian troops would continue to take part in border defence next year.

The defence budget will be raised by 74 billion forints (EUR 238m) to 428 billion forints, he said confirming the government’s goal for defence spending to reach 2 per percent of GDP by 2024.

Vargha said Hungarian soldiers would continue their peacekeeping and other missions in all the countries they are now stationed.

featured image: MTI

Source: MTI