Hungary must be excluded from the free movement in the Schengen Zone, the Member of the Finnish Parliament and the leader of the Social Democratic Parliamentary Group, Tytti Tuppurainen has said.
Tuppurainen’s comments come following Hungary’s decision to extend the National Card Program to Russia and Belarus, Schengen.News reports.
The Chairperson of the Social Democratic Parliamentary Group also called on the European Union to respond to Hungary’s decision. According to her, border controls must be introduced.
Hungary mustn’t be driven out of the EU, but we have to protect ourselves.
She said that border controls were introduced on lesser grounds during other major events and that now is the right time to start applying tighter checks.
Now it’d be fitting to reinstate border controls on the borders of Hungary because Hungary’s different stance on Russians is a potential security threat for the entire union. I’m of the opinion that the council should convene to discuss this issue without delay.
Hungary’s MFA: Baltic States Propaganda Has Been Relaunched
Earlier this month Hungary introduced the National Card permitting “guest workers” from eight countries, taking also into account those from Russia and Belarus to reach this country without being subject to security screenings.
Recently, the European People’s Party (EPP) which is the largest party in the European Parliament, said that Hungary’s decision to facilitate entry rules for Russians and Belarussians will increase the risk of espionage while raising national security concerns.
Hungary’s decision has not been welcomed by the Baltic States either. The Foreign Minister of Hungary, Péter Szijjártó, considered “childish lies” the Baltic States’ authorities comments that Budapest is endangering the security of the Schengen Zone by extending the National Card Program to Russia and Belarus.
Szijjártó said that Russians and Belarussians can only enter Hungary and thus Schengen Zone if they obtain a visa, and they can only obtain a residence permit in line with the procedure laid down by law, following a procedure conducted by the National Directorate-General for Alien Policing.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary said that in line with European rules, such procedures and issuing of residence permits are a matter of national competence, stressing that the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian authorities have the right to do so.
Hungary, which is holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, introduced the National Card to permit third-country nationals to work in Hungary. The country expanded the list to include Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Ukraine, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Moldova, Russia and Belarus.
