The European Union is unlikely to be able to pressure Hungary to stop issuing “National Cards” (two-year visas) to citizens of Russia and Belarus, reports The Spectator magazine.
„While Hungary presides over the European Union on a rotating basis until the end of the year, any punitive actions by official Brussels against Budapest are complicated”, the observers of the publication note. This is a good example of how the EU bureaucracy is “turning against itself”, as neither the European Parliament nor the European Commission have the ability to really influence Hungary on visa policy issues.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has “chosen the best time to promote his agenda”.
Earlier, several European media, including Financial Times, reported that Hungary has decided to relax the requirements for obtaining long-term visas, including for citizens of Russia and Belarus. On July 30, the EC already asked Hungary for clarification on this step. On August 1, Latvian President Edgars Rinkevičs asked to limit Hungary's participation in Schengen. The EC expects Hungary's response to an official inquiry regarding the conditions for granting long-term visas to citizens of Russia and Belarus by August 19.
According to the rules of the European Union, each country determines its own migration policy and the procedure for its implementation. Citizens of non-EU countries legally present in the community are able to move freely within the Schengen area, which includes 27 EU countries as well as Norway and Switzerland.