Budapest says its Nationwide Card scheme takes EU regulations and attainable safety dangers into consideration.
The Hungarian executive has replied to Brussels’ request for a proof over its easing of access necessities for Russian and Belarusian nationals, brushing aside considerations it might undermine the protection of the Schengen border-free trip zone.
In a letter shared by way of the Hungarian minister for Ecu affairs on social media channel X on Wednesday, Hungary’s house affairs minister Sándor Pintér claims that the Nationwide Card scheme – which used to be just lately prolonged to Russians and Belarusians – could be issued “according to the related EU framework and with due attention of the protection dangers concerned”.
“Hungary continues to position nice emphasis at the coverage of its nationwide safety and the protection of the Schengen space as a complete,” Pintér additionally wrote.
Hungary’s Nationwide Card immigration scheme – now open to Russia and Belarus in addition to Ukraine and several other Western Balkan international locations – permits “visitor staff” to stick within the nation for 2 years, renewable by way of an extra 3, and will pave easy methods to everlasting residency.
The Ecu Commissioner for House Affairs, Ylva Johansson, wrote to her Hungarian counterpart on August 1 expressing considerations that contemporary adjustments to the scheme may just give “attainable Russian spies and saboteurs simple EU get admission to,” jeopardising the protection of the passport-free Schengen zone.
“If their simple get admission to scheme is a possibility, we will be able to act,” Johansson warned in her letter.
The bloc fears that together with Russians and Belarusians within the scheme may just result in a “de facto circumvention” of the measures it has installed protected to defend itself from Russian safety threats since Moscow introduced its all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Those measures come with the suspension of a visa facilitation settlement with Russia, the closure of airspace to Russian-operated flights and stringent restrictions on land trip into bordering EU international locations.
However the Hungarian executive says candidates will go through the similar rigorous screening procedure as for different lets in, declaring that the Fee hasn’t ever voiced considerations in regards to the processes it these days has in position.
It provides that Hungary is accountable for just a “fraction” of the place of abode lets in these days issued to Russian and Belarusian nationals around the EU’s 27 member states.
‘We will be able to act’
Commissioner Johansson had given the Hungarian executive till August 19 to answer her letter, a closing date that used to be neglected by way of two days. A Fee spokesperson showed on Tuesday (August 20) that it used to be “in contact with the Hungarian government” and anticipating its answer.
“It is important to we do not soar to any conclusion but as a result of it’s nonetheless too early to resolve what (…) implications this scheme has in relation to EU legislation,” the spokesperson defined.
“Relating to our acquis and the Schengen regulations, Hungary is certain always by way of the Schengen regulations, and this implies there must be very thorough assessments, now not most effective if you’re within the ownership of a visa or a sound place of abode allow, however you want to have safety assessments which can be thorough in position.”
The chief is now anticipated to evaluate the responses Budapest has equipped to a spread of questions equipped by way of Johansson. She has made transparent that the bloc is keen to behave if the Nationwide Card Scheme poses a safety possibility.
On the middle of Brussels’ considerations is a possible again door to the Schengen space – which gets rid of border assessments between 29 Ecu international locations – for people posing a major safety possibility for the bloc.
Whilst each and every EU nation is unfastened to design its personal visa coverage, the Fee may just step in if it discovered {that a} nation’s choices violate the typical minimal regulations imposed by way of Brussels.
8 Nordic and Baltic international locations – Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden – had additionally weighed in at the factor with a letter dated August 15 to Johansson, through which they specific deep worry over the scheme and urge the Fee to reply.