It is not recorded how many Ukrainians have been helped with shelter by Hungarian civilians since the start of the war. But it is full of initiatives here: Facebook groups, special websites and old-fashioned flyers in kiosks. In recent days, thousands, probably even tens of thousands of people have been helped in this way.
“We think this is a very good sign and a very welcome phenomenon,” said Zoran Stevanovic, spokesman for the United Nations Refugee Agency UNHCR in Central Europe. “This is exactly what we need at the beginning of a crisis like this.
The positive energy is overwhelming, Toon Otten agrees. At the same time, he has concerns. The reception system for refugees in Hungary has been greatly reduced in recent years under Prime Minister Orbán. “What happens through the government is very slow going. First aid is now organized by volunteers, but in the long run, of course, that should really be taken over by the government.”
Not a long-term solution
The UN refugee agency cannot say whether the reception in Hungary is currently dependent on civil initiatives. Spokesperson Stevanovic does emphasize that this form of shelter is not a long-term solution. “The organizations we work with offer shelter for two to three weeks. If refugees need more time, a more sustainable solution must be found.”
The Orbán government has said it is working on reception capacity, but has not yet said how it intends to organize this on a large scale. According to the UNHCR, it is in any case a good idea to cooperate in this area at European level.
“We said that during the refugee crisis in 2015, and now the same is true. When they leave Hungary, they go to Romania, Spain, Germany. People go where they think they can stay, find work or make friends. “
The Netherlands must also scale up
Today was the last time Toon Otten came to the station. “Tomorrow I have to go home to go to work.” But his aid campaign does not end there: he agreed with the Hungarian residents of the village that they will drive to and from Budapest from tomorrow to pick up people.
Otten thinks that the solidarity that is now available in Hungary will also be needed in the Netherlands in the near future. “I hear from people who come here that they are often on their way to Western Europe. The wave that is now very large here will therefore continue to expand towards the Western European countries. Capacity must also be ensured there.”
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