Nearly 70 lawmakers in the European Parliament (EP) signed a joint statement over the weekend to demand “urgent measures” from the European Commission against Hungary’s current work permit procedures, which—they claim—will allow Russian spies to enter the Schengen area without any security screenings.
“It’s a childish lie,” replied Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó.
Hungary’s extended “National Card” labor migration program allows “‘guest workers’ from Russia and Belarus to enter [its] territory … without security clearance,” the MEPs wrote in the letter dated August 2nd, addressed to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
“These ‘workers’ with Hungarian visas will have the ability to move freely throughout the entire Schengen Area. Without proper clearance, there is a risk that these non-European [Union] nationals could strengthen the Russian espionage network within the EU,” they said.
“If the Hungarian government refuses to change its policy,” the MEPs argued, “the [EU] should question Hungary’s presence in the Schengen area by introducing … new controls at Hungarian borders if necessary.”
According to Budapest, however, the accusations are nothing but baseless slander and Brussels either doesn’t understand the law or deliberately chooses not to.
Hungary’s foreign minister disputed claims emanating from the EP that security screening procedures would be worsened by recent changes. He explained:
In contrast, the truth is that Russian and Belarusian citizens can still enter Hungary and thus the Schengen area only with a visa, and a residence permit can only be obtained in accordance with the procedure laid down by law, following a procedure carried out by the Directorate General for Foreigners.
For context, the “National Card” is a type of temporary work permit with a somewhat simplified application procedure, with the main difference being that there is no annual ceiling, and cardholders can be employed in any field—not just the ones with documented labor shortages. Applicants still need to show proof of pre-arranged employment and lodging, and would still need to obtain a visa through a separate procedure in case they are from countries with established visa requirements.
The Hungarian National Card system has been in place for years now but has only been open to Ukrainian and Serbian citizens. Budapest recently decided to extend the scheme to six more countries in the neighborhood, namely Bosnia-Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, and Belarus.
All except the latter two already have visa waiver agreements with the EU, while citizens of Russia and Belarus are subject to the same visa rules as before the new Hungarian law, since Schengen entry visas fall under standardized EU rules. This means the extension of the National Card scheme can only affect employment rules and none of the entry procedures to Schengen, including the necessary security screenings.
A possible shortcoming, according to critics, is whether Hungary has the capacity and resources to properly carry out a significantly increased number of screenings. However, this is a technical and not a legal or political issue, depending on whether or not there is high demand. In contrast, the MEPs’ concerns seem politically motivated—predictably, in the manner reserved for sovereigntist member states.
Nonetheless, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson sent a letter to Budapest asking the government to clarify the details of the extended law by August 19th. “If their easy access scheme is a risk, we will act,” Johansson promised.
