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Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó described as “childish lies” the Baltic states’ statement that Hungary is endangering the security of the Schengen area by extending the National Card Program to Russia and Belarus.
“The Baltic propaganda campaign against our country has been re-launched. According to the Baltic states, Hungary is endangering the security of the Schengen area by including Russian and Belarusian citizens in the National Card program alongside citizens of several other countries,” the minister wrote on his Facebook page.
The truth is that Russian and Belarusian citizens can only enter Hungary and thus the Schengen area if they are in possession of a visa, and they can only obtain a residence permit in accordance with the procedure laid down by law, following a procedure conducted by the National Directorate-General for Alien Policing,”
Mr. Szijjártó pointed out.
He added that in line with European rules, such procedures and the issuing of residence permits are a matter of national competence, and that the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian authorities have the right to do so. “It would be much better if my Baltic colleagues would inform their own electorate correctly instead of launching another campaign of lies,” the politician said.
Népszava reported, citing a letter obtained by Financial Times, that Manfred Weber, leader of the European People’s Party (EPP), had urged Charles Michel, President of the European Council, to take urgent countermeasures. Manfred Weber said that the Hungarian system makes it easier for Russians, and therefore potential Russian spies, to move around the Schengen area by circumventing EU restrictions, and called on member state leaders to adopt the strictest possible measures. He also called on Charles Michel to raise the issue at the next leaders’ summit in October.
Zoltán Kovács, State Secretary for International Communication, reacted to Manfred Weber’s words in an X post. This action is nothing but another hypocritical attack on Hungary by the pro-war liberal European elite, he wrote. He continued: “Yet again, it is Manfred Weber who is attacking the Hungarian government, all the while his government and its political allies have poured millions of illegal migrants into Europe, exposing the continent’s states and the people of Europe to a grave threat to national and public security.
Interestingly, at that time, neither Mr. Weber nor the leftist-liberal elite showed concern for the security of Europe or the people of Europe.”
In response to @ManfredWeber’s lies: This action is nothing but another hypocritical attack on Hungary by the pro-war liberal European elite.
Yet again, it is Manfred Weber who is attacking the Hungarian government, all the while his government and its political allies…
— Zoltan Kovacs (@zoltanspox) July 30, 2024
This latest attack from Brussels is absurd and hypocritical because it is precisely the Brussels institutions and the EPP, in alliance with the liberal forces, that are doing everything in their power to ensure that Hungary is forced to dismantle its strict border protection and asylum system (…).”
The politician concluded: „The Hungarian immigration regime is the strictest in the European Union. Guest workers are only allowed entry under a regulated framework, which includes a national security check, and they can stay for a limited period solely for employment purposes.”
Via MTI, Népszava; Featured image: Facebook/Szijjártó Péter