Hungary has simplified legalization in the country of Russians and Belarusians, including them in the “national card” program for workers and their families. This was brought to the attention of the publication Deutsche Welle.
DW writes that it was done “without too much noise” after the visit of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to Moscow in early July.
“National Card” allows you to get a job in Hungary and move your family, and after three years get a permanent residence permit. Previously, the cards were available only for citizens of Ukraine and Serbia, but since July 9, they have been extended to citizens of Russia, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Northern Macedonia and Montenegro, Meduza found out.
Holders of Hungary’s “national card” can travel around EU countries without additional security checks, MEP Sergei Lagodinskii said in an interview with German publication RND. He spoke about the “great concern” that Kremlin spies and terrorists could enter the EU under the guise of guest workers. At the same time, it would be wrong to “indiscriminately stigmatize all Russian citizens,” Lagodinskii added.
In response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, several EU countries have completely closed entry to Russians.
Orban called his visits to Kyiv and Moscow a “peace mission.” After meeting with him, Putin said Russia and Hungary had signed new cooperation agreements on nuclear energy, agriculture and the chemical industry.
The European Parliament sharply condemned the Hungarian prime minister’s trip to Moscow, calling it a violation of EU foreign policy principles.
