The Baltic propaganda campaign against Hungary has been restarted, as the Baltic states accused the country of putting the security of the Schengen area at risk by allowing Russian and Belorussian nationals, along with citizens of several other countries, to participate in the National Card program, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto posted on social media.
This is a childish lie,
he added.
Contrary to the claim, Russian and Belorussian nationals continue to need visas to enter Hungary and thus the Schengen area and can obtain residence permits only through lawful procedures, Peter Szijjarto wrote.
Issuing residence permits and similar procedures are national competencies under EU rules, so Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian authorities have similar rights,
the minister highlighted, adding that
"it would be much better if my colleagues in the Baltic countries informed their citizens correctly rather than launching new smear campaigns".
Cover photo: Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto (Photo: MTI/Lajos Soos)
