BUDAPEST, August 21. /TASS/. The Hungarian authorities have indicated in a letter to the European Commission (EC) that they do not expect an increase in the inflow of Russian and Belarusian nationals to the country due to facilitated rules for obtaining a working visa, Hungary's Magyar Nemzet newspaper reported citing the letter.
According to the newspaper, Hungarian Interior Minister Sandor Pinter noted in the letter that "less than 1% of Russian and Belarusian citizens, who reside in the EU, live in Hungary," while in Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, Czech Republic and Poland their number is much higher.
On August 2, European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson reported that the European Commission has officially requested clarification from Hungary regarding the inclusion of Russians and Belarusians in the program of simplified long-term visas. At the same time, she pointed out that she considered Russia "a security threat" and called on EU countries to be "more vigilant" about Russians entering EU countries, whom she called "potential spies and saboteurs."
On August 18, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that the issuance of national cards (two-year visas) to citizens of Russia and Belarus does not pose any security threats to the Schengen countries. The top diplomat added that all statements to the contrary, heard from the mouths of "colleagues from Northern Europe and the Baltic States, blinded by military propaganda, are pure lies.".