29.06.2016 | moving europe
A new law is about to be passed in Hungary on July 5. When it comes into practice it will legalize the displacement of hundreds of people who cross the Hungarian border fence to the Serbian side. This is based on a legal trick, as the fence is built five meters into Hungarian territory. Therefore, legally spoken, it is based on a displacement and not a deportation and needs no bilateral agreement with Serbia. However, in practice it is nothing else than a push-back as it leaves people with no other option as returning to Serbia territory.
Already in the last days people in Serbia witnessed push-backs from Hungarian territory and interviewed some of those who have been affected.
In the last days we witnessed an increased number of people who left for Hungary returning to Belgrade. They crossed into Hungary, but were caught by the police and pushed back to Serbia through a hole in the fence. Many people reported violent behaviour by the Hungarian police, including pepper spray, electrical shocks, beatings and setting dogs on them.