Slovakia struggles with surge in illegal migrants as election looms

Residents of Chlaba, a village in southern Slovakia, have reported an increase in illegal migrants passing through their area on their way to Germany. The migrants, who arrive mostly by night, do not intend to stay in Slovakia. Calls for tighter border controls have been made as Slovakia prepares for an election. The number of illegal migrants detained in Slovakia has increased ninefold from last year to over 27,000 so far this year. The migrants are predominantly young men from the Middle East and Afghanistan, who enter Hungary from Serbia before making their way to Slovakia or Austria. Hungarian police have also reported an increase in illegal migrant crossings on Hungary’s southern border with Serbia.