Gulyas: Number of soldiers protecting southern border doubled

The number of soldiers protecting Hungary's southern border is being doubled, Gergely Gulyas, the head of the Prime Minister's Office, told a regular government press briefing on Thursday. Migration pressure has increased considerably, he said, noting the storming of the Hungary-Serbia border by 80 illegal migrants on Tuesday. He added that the situation on the border had worsened significantly compared with the "relative dormancy" of the past two years. Intelligence reports indicate that pressure on the border will mount even further, he said, citing information of 100,000 migrants on the Balkan route and the potential for 3-4 million migrants in Turkey to head for Europe. "That's why it's important that relations with Turkey are good." Commenting on Hungary's mission in the Middle East, he said all Hungarian soldiers serving in Iraq were safe and none were exposed to immediate danger.