Representatives from the US Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office) and the US Embassy visited the Ministry of Interior on 9 November. The meeting was attended by institutions and authorities involved in the fight against human trafficking.
Ms Francesca Tadle, a specialist from the US Department of State's TIP Office, stressed that Hungary's achievements in the fight against human trafficking are highly appreciated.
On behalf of the Ministry of the Interior, we indicated that the Hungarian government is committed to curb human trafficking and we look forward to continuing the excellent cooperation with the US State Department and the Embassy. We provided an update on the progress made over the past year, the importance of implementing the national strategy, the training that has taken place and is planned in the framework of governmental, civil society and international cooperation, and the start of preparations for the new four-year national anti-trafficking strategy.
Following the presentation by the Ministry of Interior, the ministries involved in the recommendations of the TIP Report, such as the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, the departments for victim assistance and criminal legislation within the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Economic Development, the National Bureau of Investigation and the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing, also informed the US side about the progress made in the fight against trafficking in human beings. Among other issues, the representatives of the departments reported on the international results achieved with the joint investigation teams set up to curb cross-border trafficking in human beings and on successful domestic investigations, as well as on the Victim Support Centres established and expanding to assist victims, improvements focusing on the elderly and children within vulnerable groups, increased funding for sheltered accommodation support, implemented awareness-raising and victim identification trainings for public authorities.