Hungary may lose its Schengen Zone membership because the Orbán cabinet is letting too many Russian citizens in the country without proper control. The Russians coming to Hungary with the so-called Hungarian Golden Visa Programme or to work here can go westward and pose a threat to other EU member states, at least this is what two Dutch parties are worried about.
Dutch MPs would exclude Hungary from the Schengen Zone
According to Telex, the Dutch Christian Democrats and the liberal D66 parties would like to suspend Hungary’s Schengen Zone membership temporarily due to the threat Russians coming into Hungary pose to their country and other EU member states. Representatives of the parties are concerned that some Russian individuals getting residency permits in Hungary will serve Putin’s regime as spies in other EU member states.
They called Prime Minister Dick Schoof to submit their initiative to this week’s European Council session about Hungary’s temporary exclusion from the Schengen Zone until the Orbán cabinet introduces stricter rules concerning the supervision of Russian individuals.
Jan Paternotte, an MP of the D66, said the measure should remain in effect as long as Hungary “rolls out a red carpet” for Russian employees and lets them in without proper control. Paternotte added that European authorities expelled almost 400 Russian citizens because they were taking part in espionage. “The Russian threat is on the border, Hungary accommodated them, we must introduce restrictions”, he highlighted.
The Netherlands should not be naive
Paternotte called the “silence” of Geert Wilders’ anti-migration Freedom Party in the issue “bizarre”. The MP believes Hungary lets potentially dangerous Russian citizens into Europe, so Wilders should object even though they are friends with PM Orbán. The two leaders were together in Northern Italy to protest against the so-called political attacks targeting Matteo Salvini. Furthermore, Wilders’ wife is Hungarian, so they regularly spend holidays in Hungary. Even so, the Dutch MP believes the friendship of the two leaders should not affect Dutch politics and their country’s safety.
Henri Bontenbal, the leader of the Social-Democrat CDA, said many EU member states were fed up with Hungary’s behaviour. He added that the Netherlands should not be naive but should confront countries aiding Russia. Bontenbal hopes that two parties of the government coalition, the Conservative-Liberal VVD and the anti-elitist Christian-Democrat NSC will support their initiative.
Russian cyberattacks and espionage
Dutch security services regularly warn about the threat of Russian infiltration. Several security services issued a warning last week about the Russian cyberattacks concerning critical Western governmental infrastructure. The attacks aim to acquire data about the Western weapon deliveries for Ukraine and disturb that with sabotage.
Wilders won the elections in the Netherlands but could not become a prime minister. However, Telex says the most right-wing governments were formed in Dutch history. Despite not having the top job, Wilders has a defining influence on the country’s politics.
Minister says national security screenings are part of the process
Asked to comment on two Dutch parties having proposed the suspension of Hungary’s Schengen membership, Gergely Gulyás, the Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office, said this was “not realistic in any way” during a Wednesday press conference.
He said there were far fewer Russian citizens working in Hungary than in Western European countries, and Hungary only issued visas after conducting national security screenings.
Read also:
- Hungary’s exclusion from Schengen Zone discussed in EP amid National Card controversy
- End of Schengen at Hungary’s borders? Here’s Slovenia’s unforeseen decision
Featured image: illustration, source: depositphotos.com
Russia is conducting a hybrid war against EU nations involving sabotage, arson and assassination attempts. They burned down the largest shopping mall in Warsaw, and attempted to assassinate the CEO of Rheinmetall but were uncovered thankfully by US intelligence. They have been sending incendiary packages through DHL which caused a warehouse fire in Britain. One incendiary package caught fire as it was being loaded into a plane in Leipzig. If it had started fire slightly later it would have resulted in an air crash. Over the years they have used chemical weapons (Novichok as well as radioactive poisoning) in the UK to assassinate Russian refugees and killing a pair of UK citizens who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. This is all before we start discussing spying. The risk of further and potentially worse Russian acts of violence and destruction against Europe is high and should not be underestimated coming from the 21st century Hitler which is Putin. Europe cannot allow Hungary to act as Putin’s facilitator to attack and disrupt the EU. Hungary is a threat to Europe.
Mr. Wilders has his own agenda. Nobody ever said it was logical or consistent. Populism for you!
Ever wonder why he has blonde, slicked back hair? It´s historically black and curly. Born in Indonesia. Has to fool the fan base!
We need to hermetically seal ourselves off from Russia in order to protect ourselves in Europe. The modern Russian Federation poses a greater threat to European security and wellbeing than the Soviet Union ever did. They are a malignant actor on the world stage and seek nothing less than the collapse of Europe. Their hostility knows no bounds and the threat they pose should never be underestimated.
This is a prime example of the hypocrisy of the EU bureaucrats. Many more Russians work in other western European countries that in Hungary. Will they also be fined? Their hatred for Hungary is so obvious,
Hungary, under the Prime Ministership of Victor Mihaly. Orban can’t COMPLY.
The catastrophe that has been the membership of Hungary in the European Union, there ability to comply to Law(s) of membership have been there on-going DOWNFALL.
Orban is an ABUSER – a behavioural pattern, that it could in FACT be said – without argument, an individual, who thinks himself – a LAW unto his own – above the Law(s).
Manipulation, Falsification, Dissident, Invective, Polemicist, Ruse, Expunge, Clandestine, Tyrannical – the JOY it will bring as he FALLS deeper into his “self destruction” being found of Guilt as he will be, that words used in this paragraph could ALL be applied against his “infamous” character.
Orban – Traitor behaviour likened to that of a Judas individual, then “Heinous” – growing FACT(s) that point to YES – that in his words and actions – Orban wears Guilt muchly for his conduct & behaviour applied against these words in this paragraph.
The LAW is not an ASS, contrary to Charles Dickens opinion expressed in Oliver Twist that the “Law is an Ass”.
No individual is above the Law, and there “execution” the eradication of there being, in what ever position or “station in life” they occupy, former Presidents of Country’s – Prime Ministers of current appointment – whether in or out of Office, that the Law is Law and life by complying – the practice of living lawful lives – is a Contract in the conduct, the practice of of our lives, and if we DON’T comply – deservingly the WRATH(s) of breaking Laws should be worn by offender(s).
Victor Mihaly. Orban – could be a 21st century version of Nuremberg 1945-46.
Number(s) – should be substantially higher than the first of the Nuremberg Trials of 1945-1946 and the name(s) of the prominent “inner sanctum” – the DESTROYERS – the ABUSER’s of Hungarians – of Hungary under the name Fidesz – receive there JUST rewards.
Russian citizens are probably friendlier to Hungary the people in the EU. Chinese, Korean visitors to Hungary are much nicer than nasty German and Dutch visitors; these people demand 5* service for bargain deals.
Since 2007, when Hungary joined Schengen, thousands of Russian citizens have visited Hungary. None of them ended up as spies. What is the matter with EU it cannot be that all Europeans live in fear for their lives. It that is true, they should give it up.