FM: Baltic propaganda campaign against Hungary has been restarted

Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said the “Baltic propaganda campaign” against Hungary has been “restarted”, as Baltic states accused the country of putting the security of the Schengen Area at risk by allowing Russian and Belorussian nationals to participate in its National Card program. Contrary to that “childish lie”, Russian and Belorussian nationals continue to need visas to enter the Schengen Area and can obtain residence permits only through lawful procedures, Minister Szijjártó said. Meanwhile, issuing residence permits and similar procedures are national competencies, so “Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian authorities have similar rights,” he added. “It would be much better if my colleagues in Baltic countries informed their citizens correctly rather than launching new smear campaigns,” he said.