Hungary will provide this year nearly EUR 14 million to improve the situation of refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants staying in Hungary and to protect Hungarian borders – said Krisztina Berta, Deputy State Secretary for EU and International Affairs on a press conference in Budapest on Monday.

Sources of the aid are EU Funds and national co-financing of 25%.

European Integration Fund, European Refugee Fund and European Return Fund provide nearly EUR 4,3 million to improve the situation of refugees, to promote their social inclusion, to support the voluntary return of third-country nationals while External Borders Fund allocates EUR 9,7 million to ensure effective protection of the Schengen Area borders – added Krisztina Berta.

According to the Deputy State Secretary nearly 200 thousand foreign citizens were staying in Hungary for an extended period of time last year. 90 thousand foreigners – including the largest community of almost ten-thousand Chinese citizens - were immigrants of third countries also non-EU Member State citizens.

Krisztina Berta added: 1500 people claimed refugee status in 2011 and 10 percent of the refugee claims were accepted. Last year 330 refugees returned to their home country and 30 people of them had the opportunity to start their own business – said Deputy State Secretary.

For the period 2007-2013 the European Union established SOLID Funds as part of the general programme “Solidarity and management of migration flows” to protect third-country nationals residing legally in the Member States, to identify illegal residents in the EU and to prevent unauthorised border crossings.

Between 2007 and 2013 the grant of aid under the program is expected to exceed EUR 66,7 million. 41 organizations have received funding: the 4 Funds have allocated a total of EUR 14 million already to realize the 73 winning projects in 2011.

This year European Integration Fund provides EUR 2 million to improve social inclusion of third-country nationals living legally in Hungary.

In 2012 European Refugee Fund – which aims to improve the situation of third-country nationals in need of protection by introducing effective asylum procedures and guaranteeing better reception conditions - supports grants with an amount of EUR 1,5 million.

European Return Fund provides more than EUR 770 thousand to encourage and to support voluntary return of third-country nationals residing illegal in the EU.

Objective of the External Border Fund is to maintain effective surveillance of Schengen borders. The Fund dedicates resources to purchase new equipments, to apply best practices and to develop verification of visa and travel documents. With the assistance of the Fund Hungary provides EUR 9,7 million to develop border crossing points, green border surveillance, border crossing control systems and to support several trainings.

Hungarian budget ensures one-quarter of the nearly EUR 14 million grant source – it has been emphasised on the press conference on Monday.

(kormany.hu)