The European Commission has given Budapest until August 19 to provide explanations, public broadcaster Polish Radio's Brussels correspondent, Beata Płomecka, reported on Wednesday.
The dispute centers on visa facilitation for Russians introduced by Viktor Orbán's government last month, which allows Russians to travel throughout the Schengen area even though the EU suspended such privileges following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper has said that the Commission's position is clear: "Russia poses a security threat to the Union."
The Schengen.news website reports that 67 MEPs have urged the EU Commission to enforce stricter measures against Hungary due to its lax visa policies for Russians and Belarusians, which they believe jeopardize EU security.
The lawmakers have called for potential border controls and Hungary's exclusion from the Schengen area unless it amends its stance.
In July, Deutsche Welle reported that Hungary was recruiting workers from Russia and Belarus without issuing Schengen visas, instead providing them with special work visas that allow them to stay in Schengen area countries.
The Hungarian government explained this as a necessity for staffing the Paks nuclear power plant, located 130 km from Budapest. The plant receives its nuclear fuel from the Russian company Rosatom.
(mp/gs)
Source: IAR/Schengen.news/Deutsche Welle
