EU sees 'possible security threat' in easing visa rules for Russians in Hungary
Given the potential security threat to the Schengen area posed by these unilateral measures, Johansson called on the Hungarian government in her letter to answer a series of questions by mid-August. "We need more, not less vigilance," she wrote further. "Granting potential Russian spies and saboteurs easy access to the EU would undermine the security of us all."
The eased visa procedures for Russian and Belarusian citizens in Hungary could lead to a "de facto circumvention of the restrictions imposed by the EU," the Commissioner for Internal Affairs explained. She expressed concerns that even sanctioned Russian citizens might be able to circumvent the entry ban. Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the EU had suspended simplified visa rules for Russian citizens in September 2022.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had signed a decree at the beginning of July, expanding the fast-track procedure for issuing visas in Hungary to Russia and Belarus, as well as six other countries. Citizens of these countries can now apply for so-called national cards to work in Hungary. Previously, these cards were only available to Ukrainian and Serbian citizens.
Within the Schengen area, there are usually no border controls. Therefore, Russian and Belarusian citizens with a Hungarian visa can move freely within the Schengen countries. This includes all EU countries except Ireland, as well as Norway and Switzerland; in Bulgaria, Romania, and Cyprus, the rules are only partially applied.
EU Commissioner Johansson joined the conservatives in the EU Parliament in their concerns, expressed at the beginning of the week, about the potential for espionage. The regulation in Hungary could create "serious loopholes for espionage activities," according to a letter from the chairman of the European People's Party (EPP), Manfred Weber, to EU Council President Charles Michel. Moreover, it would make it easier for Russians to move around in the borderless Schengen area of the EU.
The relationship between Hungary and the other 26 EU countries has been strained for a long time. Orban is the only EU head of government who still maintains close ties with the Kremlin since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. An unscheduled trip by the Hungarian prime minister to Moscow at the beginning of July also sparked additional criticism.
The hungarian government's actions towards easing visa procedures for Russian and Belarusian citizens could potentially allow "de facto circumvention of the restrictions imposed by the EU," as expressed by Johansson, the Commissioner for Internal Affairs. This situation, if not addressed, could grant "potential Russian spies and saboteurs easy access to the EU," as Johansson further cautioned, potentially undermining the security of all EU member states.
