EU won't force Hungary to stop issuing two-year visas to Russian citizens

The EU is unlikely to be able to put pressure on Hungary to stop issuing "National Cards" (essentially two-year visas) to citizens of Russia and Belarus, Report informs referring to The Spectator magazine.

Since July, Hungary widened its lax National Card scheme to include citizens from Russia and Belarus. Holders of such card are granted the right to work in Hungary — and freedom to roam across the wider Schengen area — with, reportedly, minimal security clearance.

"And with Hungary holding the rotating presidency until the end of the year, any punitive action against Budapest is harder still. It seems Orbán may have chosen a prime time to push his own agenda – and exhibit the EU’s self-impeding bureaucracy," reads the article.

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