A new government decree has entered into force in Hungary, which tightens the requirements for refugees from Ukraine. Yes, now only those Ukrainians who came directly from the place of hostilities will receive benefits from the country.
Points of attention
- Hungary has implemented a new decree tightening requirements for Ukrainian refugees, now granting benefits only to those who came directly from areas affected by hostilities caused by the Russian invasion.
- The new law limits state support to Ukrainians whose last official address in Ukraine was in one of the 13 regions directly affected by hostilities.
- Human rights groups express concerns over the potential impact on vulnerable ethnic minority groups, such as the Roma, who may lose asylum due to the legislative changes.
Hungary reduces aid to Ukrainian refugees
According to the new law, the right to state support, which includes free housing and a basic monthly allowance, is reserved only for Ukrainians whose last official address in Ukraine was in an area directly affected by hostilities.
The new law limits state support for Ukrainians to those who come from parts of Ukraine directly affected by hostilities caused by the Russian invasion.
Government Resolution No. 134 amends the legislation that was in effect until 2022 and before the start of a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The list, which will be updated monthly by the Hungarian government, includes 13 regions of Ukraine.
It is not known how many of the 31,000 Ukrainians living in Hungary will be affected by the new law. Human rights groups say the most vulnerable are members of the Roma ethnic minority from the westernmost Zakarpattia region, who still live in shelters that will now be closed.
Their situation is complicated by the fact that many of them have dual Ukrainian-Hungarian citizenship. The publication claims that "this makes them ineligible for asylum in other EU countries."
Hungary has simplified the conditions of entry for citizens of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus
Hungary simplified entry conditions for citizens of the Russian Federation and Belarus. After Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's visit to Moscow, Budapest included citizens of the Russian Federation and Belarus in the program of the so-called national card — it is issued to those willing to work in Hungary for two years with the possibility of extension.
There is no special verification of "national card" holders at the European level, which has already caused concern among Hungary's neighbors.
The European Commission has asked Hungary to explain how the country intends to admit citizens of Belarus and Russia under a simplified procedure and how the requirements for entering the Schengen zone will be met.
By August 19, the European Commission expected Hungary to answer a number of questions regarding a possible threat to EU security due to Budapest's decision to simplify entry conditions for citizens of Russia and Belarus.
