European Commission demands explanations from Hungary on visas for Russians

The European Commission has officially requested clarifications from Hungary regarding the inclusion of Russians and Belarusians in a program that simplifies the process of obtaining long-term visas.

According to Report, which cites TASS, in a post on the social media platform X, European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson noted that she sent a letter to the Hungarian government requesting explanations and vowed to take action if their scheme with facilitated access poses a threat.

Johansson emphasized that she considers Russia "a security threat" and urged EU countries to exercise "greater vigilance" towards Russians entering the EU, whom she referred to as "potential spies and saboteurs".

The Commissioner also shared the text of the letter addressed to the Hungarian Minister of Interior, in which she underscored that the EU had already introduced indiscriminate sanctions against all Russians without exception in September 2022. These measures included the suspension of visa facilitation agreements and a recommendation for EU countries to tighten the visa issuance process and border controls for Russians to the maximum extent possible.