Issuance of European visas will allow Russians who have not passed the inspection to travel freely throughout most of the EU. Such a decision raises serious concerns about national security.
Points of attention
- Hungary has made it possible for Russians and Belarusians to travel to the country without security checks and other restrictions.
- The main concerns are the possibility of espionage and a violation of national security due to the ease of entry for Russians.
- The European Parliament expressed indignation and demands to prevent security risks due to Hungary's decision.
The European Union is concerned about Hungary's decision regarding visas for Russians
As stated by the head of the largest party of the European Parliament "European People's Party" Manfred Weber, he sent a letter to the President of the European Council Charles Michel with a request to raise this issue at the next leaders' summit in October.
This month, Hungary released details of a new fast-track visa system that allows citizens of eight countries, including Russia and Belarus, to enter Hungary without security checks or other restrictions. Budapest said that many of them will build a nuclear power plant using Russian technologies.
Weber believes the need for a new immigration system in Hungary is "questionable" and warned that it could "create serious loopholes for espionage and potentially allow large numbers of Russians to enter Hungary with minimal scrutiny, creating a serious national security risk."
Such a policy can also make it easier for Russians to move through the Schengen zone to bypass the restrictions provided for by EU legislation, Weber said.
He also called on the EU to take strict measures to protect the integrity of the Schengen area, reduce the security risk and prevent similar initiatives in the future.
Hungary simplified entry conditions for Russians and Belarusians
After Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's visit to Moscow, Budapest included Russians and Belarusians in the so-called "national map" program.
This card is issued to those willing to work in Hungary for two years with the possibility of extension.
The German publication RND notes that at the European level, a special check of "national card" holders is not carried out, which has already caused concern among Hungary's neighbors.
The publication also reminds that in the spring the Hungarian government announced that it expects about 65,000 wage earners with families.
Sanctions since the start of the war in Ukraine do not prevent Russians from visiting the EU, but Russian airlines are banned from flying to the bloc and hundreds of people linked to the Kremlin are under travel bans and asset freezes.
