The Hungarian Foreign Minister has accused European governments of attacking Budapest with a “campaign of lies” about the entry regime.
The deadline for Hungary Explain why you have facilitated the entry procedure for Russian and Belarusian citizens into the country and, therefore, into the territory of the European Union.
In a letter to his Hungarian counterpart earlier this month, the head of the EU Home Affairs, Ylva Johanssonasked the Hungarian Government to explain the recent changes introduced in the country’s immigration system, favoring the entry of Russians and Belarusians into the country to work.
The system grants the ‘guest workers’ a stay of two years extendable for another three and paves the way to permanent residence. Hungary has expanded this type of regime, initially available for Serbian and Ukrainian citizensto the candidate countries for accession to the EU Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Moldova, as well as Belarus and Russia.
Potential Russian spies and saboteurs
According to Brussels, These changes could facilitate access to the EU of “potential Russian spies and saboteurs,” putting the security of the Schengen area in dangerwhich does not require presenting your passport when changing countries. “If your easy access plan poses a risk, we will act,” Johansson warned in his letter.
A Commission source confirmed this Monday to ‘Euronews’ that the Executive is willing to evaluate “the fulfillment of this plan and its possible impact on the obligations that the lEU legislation imposes on Hungary” once I receive a response from the Hungarian Government.
Eight countries against
Eight Nordic and Baltic countries –Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden– have spoken out on the matter with a letter dated August 15 and addressed to Johansson, in which they express their deep concern about the plan.
“We are concerned that this decision could constitute a serious risk to the security of all Member States“, affirm the ministers of Foreign Affairs, Interior and Justice of these countries. “Hungary’s response, its analysis and the next steps will be of utmost importance to guarantee our national security.”
The eight countries are within the European free movement zone its fronteras Schengen.
Hungary accuses other countries of lying
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó responded at the weekend, accusing his Baltic and Nordic counterparts of sell lies.
“The inclusion of Russian and Belarusian citizens in the National Card program does not pose any security risk from the point of view of the Schengen area, since these people must undergo a exhaustive control to enter and stay in Hungary,” Szijjártó said on his social media.
“All statements in opposite direction from our northern European colleagues and the Baltic, who are blinded by their adherence to the pro-war camp, are simple lies,” added the foreign minister.
Europe suspended visas for Russian citizens
The EU suspended its visa facilitation agreement with Russia in response to your invasion of Ukraine in 2022which makes access to the bloc more expensive and difficult for Russian and Belarusian citizens.
Also has closed its airspace to flights operated by Russia and has severely restricted land travel across the bloc’s border with Russia.
The EU executive fears that such measures and their effects will now be undermined, by offer Hungary a back door to Russians and Belarusians to enter the Schengen area, which eliminates border controls between 29 European countries to facilitate the fluid movement of people.
Although each EU country is free to design its own visa policy, the Commission could intervene if it considers that a country’s decisions violate the common minimum standards imposed by Brussels.
ADVERTISINGAny plan to attract foreign workers”must be carefully balanced so as not to jeopardize the integrity of our common space without internal border controls and to give due consideration to the potential security implications,” Johansson wrote.
Relations between Brussels and Budapest, at historic lows
Tense relations hit an all-time low in July, when Prime Minister Orbán met in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin within the framework of a self-proclaimed peace mission, branded as a provocation by EU leaders.
He Orbán’s trip to Moscow coincided with the beginning of the Hungarian rotating six-month presidency of the Council of the EU, which provoked harsh reactions against what was considered an attempt to hijack the EU’s foreign policy.
Several EU ministers have expressed their exasperation with Orbánwhich has systematically thwarted decisions EU criticism of support for Ukraineand what follows blocking the disbursement of aid worth 6.6 billion euros under the European Peace Fund (EDF), preventing Member States from receiving partial reimbursement for the supplies they send to kyiv.
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