Manfred Weber did not take long to launch another attack on Hungary. In a letter to European Council President Charles Michel, the President of the European People’s Party (EPP) accused the Hungarian government of creating ‘grave loopholes for espionage activities’ and posing a significant ‘national security risk’ by altering the country’s worker visa obligations.
With the extension of the National Card programme starting from 8 July, guest workers from eight countries, including Russia and Belarus, will be able to come to Hungary on favourable terms. The National Card offers more advantageous conditions compared to guest worker status, such as:
- No excluded occupations;
- The application does not need to be accompanied by proof of labour needs;
- No cultural knowledge test required for the renewal procedure;
- Possibility of family reunification.
‘The lack of a clear need for such a broad and unregulated entry mechanism for Russian and Belarusian workers…poses questions about the consequences for Hungary and the wider Schengen area,’ Weber wrote in his letter. He added that the National Card ‘circumvents the restrictions created by EU law’ and thus provides easier access to the Schengen area.
Weber also called on EU leaders to
‘adopt the most stringent measures to immediately protect the integrity’ of Schengen,
while ‘preventing member states from taking similar initiatives,’ as reported by POLITICO.
Brussels reacted quickly, and a Commission spokesman stated that it would contact Hungary to ‘clarify the scope of the scheme and determine whether or not it falls under EU rules.’
The European Commission has the power to suspend a Member State’s Schengen membership, but this has never happened. The closest it came was with Greece in 2016 due to the migrant crisis. However, no member state has been suspended since the open borders policy was introduced in 1985.
Hungarian State Secretary for International Communication and Relations Zoltán Kovács responded to Weber’s accusations. In a post on X, he wrote: ‘This action is nothing but another hypocritical attack on Hungary by the pro-war liberal European elite.’ He pointed out that while Manfred Weber attacks Hungary, his government and allies ‘have poured millions of illegal migrants into Europe, exposing the continent’s states and the people of Europe to a grave threat to national and public security.’ He added: ‘Interestingly, at that time, neither Mr Weber nor the leftist-liberal elite showed concern for the security of Europe or the people of Europe.’
🛑 In response to @ManfredWeber’s lies: This action is nothing but another hypocritical attack on Hungary by the pro-war liberal European elite.
— Zoltan Kovacs (@zoltanspox) July 30, 2024
🇭🇺 Yet again, it is Manfred Weber who is attacking the Hungarian government, all the while his government and its political allies…
Kovács subsequently emphasized that the Hungarian immigration regime is the strictest in the European Union. ‘Guest workers are only allowed entry under a regulated framework, which includes a national security check, and they can stay for a limited period solely for employment purposes,’ he underlined.
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