Lithuania intends to appeal Hungary's decision to simplify the entry procedure for citizens of Russia and Belarus to the European Commission, as this step threatens the security of the European Union. This was stated on July 30 by the head of Lithuanian diplomacy in a commentary to the BNS news agency Gabrielius Landsbergis, UNN reports .
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“We are unpleasantly surprised by the information in the media that Hungary has included citizens of Russia and Belarus in its national immigration program, which will allow them to freely enter and move within the Schengen area,” the Foreign Minister said.
According to Landsbergis, this move by Hungary poses “serious threats to the security of the Schengen area and many European countries, and therefore it must be addressed at the EU level.
Earlier, the chairman of the European People's Party (EPP), Manfred Weber, in a letter to the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, said that Hungary's move raises “serious concerns about national security.
Weber called on EU leaders to “take the strongest possible measures to immediately protect the integrity of the Schengen area, limit the security risks that have already arisen, and prevent member states from taking similar initiatives in the future.
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This month, Hungary published details of a new system of fast-track visas for citizens of eight countries, including Russia and Belarus, to enter the country without security checks or other restrictions. Budapest said many will be employed in the construction of a nuclear power plant under contract with Russia's Rosatom.
Russian citizens are not banned from entering the EU and the Schengen area, which also includes Norway and Switzerland (which are not members of the European Union), as long as they have a valid visa and have no ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
However, Western sanctions in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine include a ban on Russian airlines operating in EU airspace, making it difficult for Russian citizens to travel to the bloc. At the same time, the rules for issuing work permits are the responsibility of each EU member state.