Hungary opens EU doors to Russians
30 July 2024 10:07
Hungary continues its anti-European pro-Russian provocations – in a few days, Russians will be able to enter the EU through Hungary without any security checks and move freely to other EU countries. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to rnd.
This became possible thanks to the registration of guest workers in Hungary, which Prime Minister Viktor Orban extended in July to people from Russia and Belarus. The EU is now very concerned that Russian spies may enter the country or that the Kremlin may be sending Russians to carry out terrorist attacks in the EU.
Entering without security checks in a situation where the Russian government and Russian authorities are doing everything to weaken Europe with hybrid attacks is the wrong way to go, says EU foreign policy expert Sergiy Lagodinsky.
“However, it would be wrong to brand all Russian citizens as the regime’s submarines,”
– the expert believes.
Orban, he said, is doing what he always does:
“He undermines the European migration system and at the same time becomes a servant of the Kremlin.”
– lahodynsky says.
In the spring, the Hungarian government said it was expecting about 65,000 migrant workers. They can bring their families and apply for a permanent residence permit after three years.
Other EU countries, such as Finland, no longer allow Russians to enter. The Finnish government justified this by saying that Russia was trying to destabilise the border and EU countries.
Hungary vs Ukraine
Today’s Hungary is a long-time supporter of Russia and an enemy of Ukraine. Among other things, Hungary is delaying the adoption of legislation that would allow Ukraine to receive up to €2 billion from the EU for weapons at the expense of profits from frozen Russian assets.
After a lengthy debate, EU member states agreed in May to use the proceeds of about €190 billion of frozen Russian assets held in the Belgian depository Euroclear to buy weapons for Ukraine. However, Hungary opposed this, refusing to provide unanimous EU support for each payment to Ukraine. At the same time, Hungary does not seem to object in general, but has concerns about the automation of payments.
The situation is complicated by the fact that Hungary took over the EU presidency for six months on 1 July, which will give it more influence, making it even harder for EU officials to convince it.
At the same time, Hungary will not block NATO’s decisions on Ukraine, but it will not support them either.
Meanwhile, the EU is looking for a new strategy: how to help Ukraine without Hungary’s consent.
More news in the Kommersant Ukrainian telegram channel – https://t.me/komersant_ukrainskyi.
