2024-08-22 23:56:29
Hungary had until Monday, August 19, to explain to the European Commission its new visa policy, which fundamentally facilitates the entry of Russian and Belarusian citizens into the country, and thus further into the Schengen area. But it missed the deadline, and fears of a possible breach of European security are growing in the meantime.
At the beginning of July, the Hungarian government approved the extension of the so-called National Card program, which now applies, among other things, to citizens of Russia and Belarus. As “guest workers”, they will be able to apply for visas in an accelerated procedure. However, the system does not limit the number of issued permits.
Photo: EU
According to some experts, the Hungarian decision may pose a security threat to the EU. In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Union immediately suspended the validity of the visa facilitation agreement with Russia in February 2022. Analysts now fear that the Hungarian border could become a weak spot in the entire system, which makes the Schengen area non-existent for internal borders.
In response to the measure, two open letters calling for action immediately appeared on the table of the European Commission. The first came from the MEPs headed by Danuša Nerudová (STAN, EPP). She wrote together with her Lithuanian colleague Petras Auštrevičius open letterin which they call on the commission to “urgently investigate the Hungarian decision” due to concerns about a possible threat to the functioning of the Schengen area and “its role as a safe space for citizens.”
67 MEPs expressed great concern over the recent decision of the Hungarian government to ease
visa restrictions for Russian and Belarusian citizens and ask @EU_Commission to respond to growing risks. Thank you colleague @danusenarudova for great cooperation pic.twitter.com/6UXk11D1Qo— Petras Austrevicius (@petras_petras) August 3, 2024
They asked for an explanation of Hungary’s actions last week in an open letter also representatives of the Nordic and Baltic states addressed to European Commissioner for Internal Affairs Ylva Johannsonová. According to the ministers of these countries, Hungary’s actions represent a “serious security risk”.
Here is the #Nordic– #Baltic foreign ministers’ letter that we sent to EU Commissioner Ylva Johansson with regard to Hungary’s decision to ease entry for Russians & Belarussians.
Our concern about the impact on our security, as Russia is conducting hybrid attacks against the EU. pic.twitter.com/riDjdfQJmm
— Baiba Braže (@Braze_Baiba) August 16, 2024
Hungary missed the deadline, the commission is still waiting
Already at the beginning of August, Johannson called on Budapest to explain its actions – and gave her until Monday, August 19. However, the Hungarian authorities did not provide any explanation to the commission within the given deadline.
It is possible that the biggest Hungarian national holiday – the feast of St. Stephen, the first Hungarian king and founder of the Hungarian state, which is celebrated in Hungary on August 20 – contributed to the delay. The Commission is therefore awaiting Hungary’s response.
“We understand that the Hungarian authorities need more time (…). However, we are in contact with the Hungarian authorities,” said Annita Hopperová, one of the spokespersons of the commission, on Tuesday. When asked how long the commission will wait, Hopper did not answer.
Although Budapest has not yet officially submitted any opinion to the commission, the first reactions are already being heard. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó described the accusations by his Nordic and Baltic counterparts as lies.
“The inclusion of Russian and Belarusian citizens in the National Cards program does not pose any security risk from the point of view of the Schengen area, as these persons still have to go through a comprehensive check when entering and staying in Hungary,” he said on Facebook.
However, other possible explanations for the extension of the National Cards system to Russian and Belarusian citizens are also circulating in the public space. One of them is the completion of the Hungarian nuclear power plant Paks, which is to be built by the Russian company Rosatom.
However, Hungarian political scientist András Rácz pointed out in an interview for The Parliament server that the construction of the power plant is not at this stage. “It is not justified at all. And even if the construction of the power plant was at such a stage, it would still not justify why the Belarusians must also be on the list,” he adds.
The European Commission now wants to find out what scope and consequences the Hungarian decision may have for EU legislation. Spokeswoman Hopper reminded that the Schengen rules apply to Hungary at all times. “That means bilateral checks need to be done. Thorough security checks need to be put in place.”
Renewal of controls or exclusion from Schengen
Technically, issuing visas and residence permits is the responsibility of the member states. However, as European Commissioner Johansson reminded in the letter, member states must be careful not to jeopardize the integrity of the common area without internal border controls. But at the same time, it is up to the governments themselves to consider the possible security implications.
According to MEP Nerudová, it is impossible for one of the countries to decide on its own to allow the long-term presence of newly arrived Russians and Belarusians without sufficient security checks. “In this direction, we absolutely cannot rule out the possibility of new Vrbětice, for example,” she warned of the risk.
“If the Hungarian government is not able to sufficiently guarantee security checks, the commission and the states will have to draw consequences,” Nerudová told the editors.
So what might happen if Hungary keeps the new visa system? If we stay purely with the protection of the Schengen area, the reintroduction of border controls by countries neighboring Hungary is proposed.
“Personally, I would like to avoid such a solution, but we cannot rule out a security risk at the moment due to the Hungarian government’s long-term behavior towards Russia,” Nerudová thinks.
The ultimate solution could also be the “suspension” of Hungary’s membership in the Schengen area. “Schengen membership is not automatic by nature and requires the fulfillment of certain obligations (…). So if the commission were to evaluate that this does not happen in its case, Hungary could be excluded from this zone,” analyst Pavel Havlíček from the Association told the editors for international issues.
At the same time, he adds that the commission, whose representatives are responsible for the functioning of the free trade zone, should be responsible for such a step.
The Commission has other options
According to Havlíček, a more consistent enforcement of so-called conditionality, which the commission wants to commit to in its new mandate, would be a strong reaction. It conditions the allocation of European money “in exchange” for compliance with the principles of the rule of law. It is precisely these that Hungary repeatedly violates, and in this context, payments of money from EU programs have already been frozen.
“The commission can go even further and limit Hungary’s access to other forms of cooperation, as happened recently in the field of Erasmus+, when Hungary began to limit academic freedoms and attack academics and schools,” thinks Havlíček.
The whole issue is likely to reach the table of the ministers of foreign affairs and defense of the twenty-seventh EU. They will meet next week on August 28 and 29 at an informal meeting of the Council. According to custom, this was originally supposed to take place in the country that presides over the Council – now in Hungary. The head of EU diplomacy, however, summoned it to Brussels in response to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s “diplomatic mission” to Russia and China.
Video: “Incredible condescending impudence.” Havlíček leaned on the European Union because of Orbán.
Spotlight Aktuálně.cz – Karel Havlíček | Video: Team Spotlight