We are in the Budapest Olympic Centre – the BOK Hall – in Budapest. We have just opened this reception and distribution centre. People are coming here from Transcarpathia, but now most of them are coming from the interior of Ukraine – mostly from the cities under military attack and bombardment. For them to flee is a shocking experience, a traumatic experience; and after fleeing war the first good news in their lives comes here in Budapest, when they enter this hall and are given food and water – and also accommodation for those who need it. We are providing special care for the children, there is a medical service, and soon there will be employment agency representatives. Some people – the majority – move on; but, apart from needing food, drink and accommodation, those who want to stay will eventually have to find work. Fortunately, in Hungary today there are more jobs than there are people. Great work is being done by the people here, first and foremost by the volunteers, public administration staff, the police, soldiers and disaster relief personnel; I would like to thank them all, because for those in need the first experience of refuge here in Budapest offers people the prospect of a happier future than that in where they have just come from.
