Earlier this month, Hungary announced a new facilitated visa scheme under which citizens of eight countries, including Russia and Belarus, can enter Hungary without security checks or other restrictions. Budapest claims that many of those entering under this scheme will be building a nuclear power plant.
“We are unpleasantly surprised by media reports that Hungary has included Russian and Belarusian citizens in its national immigration programme, which will allow them to enter and move freely within the Schengen area,” Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said in a written statement.
“In Lithuania’s view, Hungary’s decision poses very serious threats to the security of the Schengen area and many European countries, and must therefore be responded to at the EU level,” the Lithuanian foreign minister said.
The minister believes that Hungary’s decision requires a separate assessment at a time when European countries are facing an increasing number of acts of sabotage, which this reinforces the urgency of finding an adequate response to such a stance by one member state.
Do you think we should be able to control who is coming from Russia into the EU?
Overall a difficult question. But I do know how hard it is to get a Schengen Visa for a Russian citizen, contrary to what the article implies. And I am pretty sure the Hungarians won‘t just wave them in now. There‘s definitely a lot of control over who‘s coming to the EU. And I am pretty sure this won‘t decrease.
How will it not decrease when Hungary abolished measures to control?
Do you acknowledge that it is in Russian interest to weaken the EU?
Yes I am sure it is in Putin‘s interest to weaken the EU. But I think in this conflict with Orban the EU is weakening itself a lot more than Putin or Orban could ever do. By fracturing the EU. Freaking out over Russian Visas for example.
How do you suggest EU deals with Orban while he is actively trying to ignore the rest of the leaders of member states?
Trying to remain calm and focused. Not freaking out when he‘s going to Putin and Xi and claiming he pretended to go on the EU‘s behalf. Not pulling stunts like sending minor officials to Hungary‘s EU meetings.
But that’s not an action. That’s inaction. I mean, what needs to be done to stop him from actively compromising EU interests? Letting him do whatever he wants doesn’t sound like an effective strategy.
True. Of course there would be the option of changing the EU unanimous voting system, so disagreeing member states wouldn‘t be able to block the whole Union. But small member states don‘t want to give up those veto options. In the case of Poland the EU has initiated article 7 that would have suspended its voting rights (relevant because of Poland‘s precious fascist government), but that hasn‘t materialised since 2017 and now there‘s a new government. So it isn‘t easy. But the commission not attending meetings and such feels like ceding control to me.
Who is fracturing the EU? The one person working with Russia and against EU wherever he can or the other 20 something that have a more or less unified position?
I think the awkward moves of the commission to ostracise Hungary by not attending its meetings and trying to subvert its council presidency did cause some consternation in other states of the EU as well. Accusing him of pretending to visit Russia and China on behalf of the EU was pretty laughable, too, because everybody knew he wasn‘t. I am really not a fan of Orban, but this doesn‘t make the EU look good or strong.
Would you consider Orban isolated in Europe concerning his position towards Russia, compared to other EU governments?
Would you say Orban is trying hard to cooperate with the rest of the EU?