Paris attacks raise questions in Eastern Europe

(Vatican Radio) The worst terror attack in France since World War II that killed at least 128 people is expected to lead to a new debate over the link between refugees crossing the Balkan routes and terrorism.

The closing of France's borders following the violence comes after months of influxes of people into the country from Iraq and Syria where the Islamic State group holds territory.

Click below to hear this report from Stefan Bos

Countries such as Hungary have long argued that Islamic militants may be among the hundreds of thousands of migrants fleeing war and poverty. It was also among the arguments used by Hungary's right wing government to build a controversial anti-migration fence along its borders with Croatia and Serbia. Hungary's anti-migrant prime minister Viktor Orbán was expected to closely follow the developments in France amid wider concerns over possible terror attacks in this country and elsewhere in Eastern Europe. 

Hungary has already made clear it wants to build another razor wire fence along its border with Romania to stem the influx of refugees. The attacks in France are likely to speed up preparations for the construction. 

TOUGHER POLICIES

Tougher policies are also expected towards more than 1,000 refugees, mainly from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq who are stuck in overcrowded Hungarian prisons. They are accused of illegally entering Hungary by climbing over the infamous anti-immigration border fence. 

More than 700 people have been ordered to leave the country in what critics view as politically motivated show trials. But Serbia does not want them in protest against the Hungarian fence which Belgrade sees as a new Iron Curtain. 

The government says however that a majority of Hungarians concluded in a 'national consultation' that there is a link between migration and terrorism: "The people decided, the country must be defended" is written on billboards and on ruling Fidesz party linked websites. 

MORE FENCES

Critics say only one million of the eight million voters returned Orbán's migration letter with questions about migration. 

Other countries, including neighboring Slovenia and even Austria, are also building fences to halt the influx of refugees. 

Yet opponents argue that Europe should be more concerned about Europeans preparing terror attacks. The European Union has reportedly estimated that as many as 6,000 people from Europe have joined the militant group. 

Many of them have passports that allow them to travel back and forth from countries like France to the Islamic State headquarters in Mosul, Iraq, and Raqqa, Syria.