"The field of migration must always meet newer and newer challenges; when talking about migration one should never forget that this is a complex phenomenon", Deputy State Secretary for the European Union and International Relations Krisztina Berta said at the opening conference of the 12th national meeting of the European Migration Network.

The Deputy State Secretary emphasised in her opening speech that the latest trends must be taken into consideration in connection with migration, such as the promotion of mobility and legal migration, the more effective linking of migration and development, securing proper international protection and preventing illegal migration.

She also mentioned that the new legal circumstances and the recently developed new phenomena call for new kinds of actions. As an example she mentioned that at the beginning of the year the Common European Asylum System was at the centre of attention, but later the Syrian situation escalated and the result was a new wave of asylum seekers. Later on at the island of Lampedusa, a new influx of refuges was detected. She said that these events prove that this is a highly sensitive topic, which is viewed differently by each member state.

According to Krisztina Berta the situation is unusual in Hungary too, due to the fact that the number of illegal immigrants and asylum seekers has risen significantly. She added that a similar phenomenon can be detected in many other European countries.

Handling migration flows is a sensitive political issue, the Deputy State Secretary said, adding that the issue needs a complex approach on the part of the EU member states. She emphasised the further development of the common visa strategy and the establishment of a Common European Asylum System. In connection with Hungarian regulations, she pointed out the importance of the National Migration Strategy adopted this summer, which is also closely linked to the EU financial framework.

Concerning the European Migration Network, she said that its main goal is to become a workshop where the most important issues can be discussed on a widest possible level. The network is constantly growing, and now includes 43 non-governmental and governmental members.

At the opening ceremony László Garamvölgyi, head of communications at the National Crime Prevention Council, mentioned that a modern day migration wave can be detected world-wide. In connection with Hungary, he added that following an initial mistrust towards immigrants due to a lack of information, Hungarian citizens are today more tolerant and appreciate that asylum seekers are willing to settle in as soon as possible.

(MTI)