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Budapest – Austria and Hungary are committed to protecting the external Schengen border and combating illegal migration together, said Hungarian Interior Minister Sandor Pinter after talks held Monday in Budapest with his Austrian counterpart, Gerhard Karner, MTI reports.
In a joint press conference, Pinter highlighted the “remarkable police cooperation” between the two countries, noting that the meeting also addressed the membership of Bulgaria and Romania in the Schengen Area.
He attributed the progress made to the combined efforts of the Hungarian, Bulgarian, Romanian and Austrian police in protecting the borders, which has prevented illegal migration from gaining momentum in the region.
The Hungarian minister also noted that Austria has adjusted its border control practices with Hungary to speed up commuter crossings, while at the same time preventing illegal migration.
Pinter also confirmed that joint police checks will remain in force on trains bound for Germany, checks involving Hungarian, Austrian and German police officers, and that the bilateral border traffic agreement has been amended to expand cross-border mobility and designate new international and regional crossing points.
For his part, Karner noted a dramatic decrease in the number of illegal crossings and asylum applications at the Hungarian-Austrian border, from 1,700 illegal entries and almost as many asylum applications three years ago, to just four illegal crossings and no asylum applications at present.
Hungary has assumed the presidency of the Salzburg Forum in 2026, the next meeting of interior ministers being scheduled for March 9–10 in Egerszalok, in northern Hungary, with the focus to be on the future training of police forces and strengthening the role of Europol. (19.1.2026)