Hungary opened its gates to citizens of Russia and Belarus: the reaction of foreign media
The recent decision of the Hungarian government caused a stir in the European media. Whenever a country makes politically controversial decisions, it puts its relations with other members of the European Union at risk. This time, by giving citizens of Russia and Belarus the opportunity to get a national card, Hungary was once again in the spotlight.
The Hungarian government has issued a decree that allows Russians and Belarusians to obtain a so-called national card. Previously, only citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, the Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia and Ukraine had this opportunity. The holder of the national card can stay in Hungary, move his family there, extend his stay as often as he wishes, and potentially have access to the Schengen area. The European press demands action. What do foreign media say?
Exclude from Schengen!
Estonian newspaper Eesti Päevaleht comments:
“The current behavior of Hungary once again demonstrates how easily the lack of democracy in one of the member states of the European Union can become a problem for all others. Orbán’s solo speeches regarding Russia could be interpreted as a sovereign right of the country, if we had not previously agreed on a common foreign policy of the European Union The creation of a breach in the border system for the citizens of Russia and Belarus nullifies the efforts of other countries. The temporary exclusion of Hungary from the Schengen system could be quite an effective measure to convey the following message to the voters there: in fact, autocracy has no place in the European Union.”
The EU may be angry
Hungarian weekly Hungarian voice believes that this step could have serious consequences for Hungary:
“With great difficulty – and under pressure from the US – we pushed out the spy bank [this is the Russian International Investment Bank (IIB), whose headquarters were moved from Moscow to Budapest in 2019 – and were there until 2023], and now through ten times as many such spies can get in through the open door, and once they are here, they can go anywhere within the Schengen zone – to engage in theft, espionage, murder – and in general, whatever the tasks assigned them. The US made the process of simplified entry more difficult for Hungarian citizens precisely because too many fraudsters and fraudsters got hold of Hungarian passports. And it should not be surprising that the EU will now also start thinking about taking countermeasures.”
Increasing risks for Schengen
Site News from Bulgaria emphasizes that this step creates serious risks for the security of the Schengen zone, because it allows citizens of Russia and Belarus to enter Hungary without a thorough security check, which can facilitate the implementation of espionage activities in other EU countries.
Concerns about espionage
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports that Hungary’s decision to expand its national card program to citizens of Russia and Belarus has raised serious national security concerns. The lack of proper checks could create “significant loopholes for espionage” and allow large numbers of Russians to enter Hungary with minimal oversight, posing a serious risk to national security.
Reaction of Brussels
Politic notes that Hungary’s decision drew criticism from the European People’s Party (EPP) and the European Commission. EPP chairman Manfred Weber said the scheme raises “serious national security concerns” and called for “the strictest measures to immediately protect the integrity of Schengen”.
