Serbia, Hungary, Austria agree to step up efforts against illegal migration

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - The leaders of Serbia, Hungary and Austria signed a memorandum of understanding Wednesday on strengthening cooperation to curb illegal migration.

The memorandum was signed by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer after a plenary meeting in Serbia's capital Belgrade.

The first meeting on the issue took place in Hungary's capital Budapest in October.

The leaders expressed concern then over a possible migrant crisis worse than the one in 2015.

Nehammer said cooperation with Serbia and Hungary is necessary because the asylum system of the European Union had failed.

"This is necessary because the EU asylum system has proven to be unsuccessful. We have reached the point where some EU countries find new forms of cooperation beyond what is possible within the Union, because what it currently achieves in terms of border protection is not enough," he said.

Nehammer said that two EU members, Austria and Hungary, are sending a "clear signal to Brussels" from Belgrade today that Serbia is a "reliable partner."

He also said that Austria will deploy 100 police officers to provide technical support for border protection.

- Serbia has twice more migrants compared to 2021

Vucic said that compared to the previous year, the number of registered migrants in Serbia has almost doubled.

"We have agreed that together, with the support of Hungary and Austria, we will employ a greater number of police officers on the border with North Macedonia, including cars with thermal imaging cameras, and move that defense line to the south," said Vucic.

He added that today's agreement will align Serbia with the visa policy of the EU and this is how Europe will be protected.