Hungary is accelerating construction of a 175km steel barrier along its border with Serbia, as migrant numbers have surged since the announcement in June. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto revealed the plan on 17 June, but since then, an additional 57,000 migrants have entered the country, with daily crossings rising from 500 to 1,500.
The fence, built using prison labour from Palhalmai jail, is intended to deter illegal migration. Inmates are assembling giant girders and razor wire at the Dunaferr steel mill in Dunaujvaros, a former Soviet model town. The government estimates the cost at €100m (£70m), with Prime Minister Viktor Orban stating that every penny spent 'hurts him'.
Orban has framed the barrier as essential to protecting European and Hungarian identity, warning that the real threat comes from 'the heart of Africa'. Originally set for completion in November, Orban now demands it be finished by the end of August, requiring 6km of construction daily.
However, an army officer overseeing the work at Morahalom expressed doubts, noting that while razor wire could be in place by then, the fence posts may not be completed at the current pace. Government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs indicated that if migrants circumvent the barrier via Romania or Croatia, Hungary would build additional fences there.
