The Hungarian government has opened the Schengen national security gate wide, and Russians and Belarusians will be able to come with a so-called National Card from July., with no vetting required
by BkkGrl
The Hungarian government has opened the Schengen national security gate wide, and Russians and Belarusians will be able to come with a so-called National Card from July., with no vetting required
by BkkGrl
39 comments
> Third-country (non-EU) citizens can work in Hungary under several legal titles. Of these, most of the time, either some type of residence permit or the so-called National Card is requested.
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> This is not a new system, even before July 8, a large number of Ukrainian and Serbian guest workers arrived in Hungary with National Cards. Since then, however, from a total of eight countries:
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> from Bosnia and Herzegovina,
> from the Republic of North Macedonia,
> from Moldova,
> from the Republic of Montenegro,
> from Serbia,
> from Ukraine
> from the Russian Federation ,
> and from the Republic of Belarus
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> this form of employment can be applied for.
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> There are several important differences between guest worker status and the National Card.
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> In the case of the National Card, there is no annual maximum number of employees, those who have one do not count towards the employment limit of approximately 60,000 persons/year established for guest workers,
> there are no excluded occupations, i.e. National Card workers can be employed in any FEOR (occupation),
> they do not need to submit a certificate of labor demand with the application,
> for the extension procedure, they do not have to take a cultural knowledge test, in fact,
> cardholders also have the option of family reunification.
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> The National Card can be applied for for the first time for 2 years, but can be extended by 3 years as many times as needed.
> But where do we need Russian workers?
>
> There seems to be only one possible explanation for the facilitation of the entry of Russians, this is Paks II, the workers’ accommodation , which can accommodate another 4,000 people and is currently under construction, in Foktő (former Soviet barracks) built with about one billion forints, and the Paks workers’ accommodation at least suggests this.
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> This is an investment that may require a large number of exclusively Russian or possibly Belarusian specialists – we would think. The only problem is that, in connection with the operation of the nuclear power plant, a small Russian colony of a few thousand people has lived in Hungary, partly in Paks – highlights Russia expert András Rácz.
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> “The fact that there are Russians in the country in connection with Paks is completely normal, the Hungarian authorities have learned to adapt to this, it is something that can be managed. Rather, the question is whether the licensing process will reach a level where the phase of construction that requires additional Russian specialists can begin. This is not currently visible. As it has been a problem for years, Rosatom’s inability to prepare plans and permits that meet European Union standards. It doesn’t look like there will be a change in this.
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> And until this obstacle is jumped, the nuclear technology phase of the construction, which would require Russian specialists, will not begin. If, despite this, the government opens this door for them in time, it is difficult to understand”
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> – said the specialist in response to Forbes.hu’s question.
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> There are fixed jobs in a nuclear power plant
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> It is also a fact that if Russian workers were to be brought in only for the sake of nuclear power plant construction, then it would be possible to say specifically which job they are looking for and which specialist, while the National Card leaves the possibility of free choice of workplace completely open.
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> And the next thing you don’t know at all is the magnitude. Are we talking about a few dozen very specially trained professionals or many thousands of people? In this regard, little information is available in the public domain, since the National Card can be applied for and issued in an unlimited number of copies.
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> I don’t see the need to open up the Hungarian labor market to an unspecified number of Russians.
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> – said Rácz, then added that despite the fact that Rosatom is building the nuclear power plant in Ostravets, Belarus – which is already much ahead of Paks – Russians typically work there as well. It is therefore even more difficult to justify importing labor from Belarus.
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> Another similar reason could be the appearance of the new Russian retail chain, Mere, but just as no Russian people helped at the gas stations at Lukoil either, it would be quite bold to assume that the goal would be to install Russian cashiers in Russian stores.
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> Of course, the cashier’s position also has a FEOR number, so the introduction of the National Card is therefore a failure in these examples as well.
> It can replace the Russian spy bank
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> The International Investment Bank (IIB) – or as most of us know it, the Russian spy bank – under pressure from David Pressman , and then liquidated by the Hungarian government last spring. was put on the sanctions list by the United States of America
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> It was obvious from the beginning that the bank would be a Trojan horse for the Russian government or the secret service. And later, based on Politico, HVG wrote that Hungary is considered the weakest link in European counterintelligence, as it gave the Russian-backed International Investment Bank an advantage even when it was already clear that it provided a logistical background for Russian intelligence.
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> The bank received full diplomatic immunity in Hungary under a law passed in 2019
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> from the controls of the Hungarian authorities,
> and tax and contribution exemption,
> and their employees and guests have free access to the territory of the country.
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> “When the Americans sanctioned the International Investment Bank, this loophole also disappeared. Not immediately, but it stopped. Now, with this National Card, unless there is a brake included in the law that precludes this, then a very similar thing can happen:
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> large numbers of Russians may re-enter without any purpose or explanation.
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> – said András Rácz.
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> According to the expert, the most likely problem is how efficiently it is possible to filter visa applicants and their family members, which is simply a matter of resources. If the Russians were to submit thousands of National Card applications, the resources of the security screening organizations would have to be significantly increased. This is currently not visible.
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> “In the case of settlement bonds, for example, impossibly short deadlines were set for the national security inspection, which obviously could not be done properly in such a short time.
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> I see this as a serious potential national security risk, depending on how many people come.”
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> The destination is not Hungary
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> “For Russians who pose a national security risk, the goal is the Schengen zone. In the case of Russian spies under diplomatic cover, it is quite regular for them to carry out operations in Slovakia, Austria, Hungary or even Germany, for example, with a Prague accreditation,” Rácz explained.
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> The Hungarian regulations are also questionable in this sense, since National Card holders are not subject to the travel restrictions that, say, tie the hands of a guest worker with a residence permit.
All borders should be closed to Hungary.
He has learned nothing from his good friend Putler’s fate. Do not test and attack Europe, the price will always be higher than the win.
Close the borders with Hungary and start fortification as similar as Baltic states and Poland has with belarus and rushitia.
Edit: spelling.
Orban is the best advertiser for reforming the EU.
Oi!! WTF
Border them up then, simple solution. I’m sure their industry will like that.
Sounds illegal, in schengen you have to protect the borders of the EU. So maybe its really illegal.
Well the EU is extremely submissive and obviously isn’t doing anything regarding the war within. These news are pointless and Orban’s actions have shown time and time again, he can do ANYTHING he wants. Just as outing can do ANYTHING and all they get are angry Twitter posts from politicians.
Hungary needs a very harsh reality check, they are really begging to be the country that makes the EU think about a process to kick a country out of the union.
I sincerely hope we’ll close the borders. Not allowing people in who belong to an aggressor country under sanctions should be EU legislation, no matter in what other country they have a work permit or not. And expelling countries who extend friendliness towards enemies and their citizens should make it into EU legislation as well.
Just wait. If ever public opinion were to turn against Orban, he will offer many of them Hungarian citizenship to prop up his votes.
Will EU react to this ?
Ok, this asshole seems to want to actively cause harm to the Union/Europe as a whole.
What articles in the Treaty are there for dealing with bad faith actions by a member designed to cause that harm? Got to be some self defence mechanics that can be invoked in case this blatant.
WTF???
Christ. That means spies galore.
On the flip side, it may also mean more anti-Putin and anti-Luka Russians and Belarussians in the EU.
Can the EU selectively take Hungary off freedom of movement??
Before I was half joking when I called for Hungary to be somehow kicked out of the European Union but now I fully believe that something has to be done about Hungary.
In fact, Hungary is a saboteur and it always acts like an enemy. It constantly undermines the security of the EU and NATO from within. It’s clearly a saboteur.
The EU needs to create a mechanism for throwing a country out. Some kind of super majority required vote in the European Parliament should do the trick.
As a Hungarian I am wondering how much shit is EU wiling to take from Orbitron? What is the point when finally they decide to do something about this idiot? Just freaking suspend Hungary from Schengen or something.
If this shit is allowed I would like my country to exit this farse of EU and Schengen. We worked our asses of to be accepted in EU and Schengen, and this smug piece of shit is allowed to pull a stunt like this. Until Hungary is punished and kicked out I will stand by this opinion.
This looks more like a conspiracy to aid the infiltration of Russian saboteurs into Europe.
The gates to hell opened in the middle of EU and NATO.
Why is Hungary so tight with Russia? Most other post-Soviet countries want nothing to do with Russia, especially now with the Ukraine war.
I love how this fatass has played all his cards when it comes to trying to control the European poker game. Forcing him to now flip the poker table over in order to not lose, which is really going to piss of the other players even more. And might get him banned from the casino
Close borders with Hungary fully, cut trade with Hungary, cut funding to Hungary.
They are literally just another oblast of Russia at this point with Orban being no more than a convenient but expendable when the time comes oligarch no different than a gas exec in Russia.
Hungary needs to lose it ability to vote, bully and flood the EU with assassin’s, saboteurs and spies.
Then Hungary needs to be immediately excluded from Schengen, and eventually from the EU. How long are we going to tolerate this bullshit?
I thought this needed to be voted for and ratified in parliament no?
I really do wish that the EU takes action now. I know it‘s highly improbable, but one can still hope…Orban can do whatever the f*ck he wants without any consequences whatsoever. He blackmails the EU day in and day out, while laughing straight at their faces. And time and time again he pushes the boundaries of what he can get away with further.
Schengen is not the same as the EU. They can kick a country out of the treaty.
Well, guess who’s getting “temporary” border checks on all of their borders now.
This is certainly another Orbán bribe to Putin, but as far as I know, Serbians can also enter Hungary without visa since many years.
Suspend their Schengen membership, it’s against the rules.
Is the average Hungarian totally cool with Orban alienating the country this much and handing to his Russian handlers?
maybe it’s time for Hungary to leave Shengen? Or get kicked out?
If a country can’t or won’t secure the border of the Schengen area it’s a threat for the rest of the countries within Schengen. Therefore, in this case the EU should really consider removing the aforementioned country from the area. Security problem solved.
We must immediately put a stop to this outrage and swiftly punish the Hungarian government! It’s like a fox in a henhouse! Russia had a plan to seize all of Ukraine, and if it had gone as planned, Hungary would promptly leave the European Union and start antagonizing Romania and Bulgaria.
Hungary is absolutely begging to be expelled from the EU. One hopes y’all are seriously considering this, as should NATO.
Then the Schengen countries surrounding Soviet Hungary should close their borders with this rogue state.