Earlier this month, Hungary announced a new facilitated visa scheme under which citizens of eight countries, including Russia and Belarus, can enter Hungary without security checks or other restrictions. Budapest claims that many of those entering under this scheme will be building a nuclear power plant.
“We are unpleasantly surprised by media reports that Hungary has included Russian and Belarusian citizens in its national immigration programme, which will allow them to enter and move freely within the Schengen area,” Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said in a written statement.
“In Lithuania’s view, Hungary’s decision poses very serious threats to the security of the Schengen area and many European countries, and must therefore be responded to at the EU level,” the Lithuanian foreign minister said.
The minister believes that Hungary’s decision requires a separate assessment at a time when European countries are facing an increasing number of acts of sabotage, which this reinforces the urgency of finding an adequate response to such a stance by one member state.
How difficult would it be to kick Hungary out of the union? They don’t deserve to be in it anymore. Let them make their bed with Russia but without EU funds.
AfaIk, it’s impossible to kick it out of EU. However, it is possible to suspend it’s membership using article 7 of EU treaty in case of severe violation of human rights.
How about Schengen, though? Is there a mechanism for permanently expelling a member from that? Or do we have to permanently close their borders temporarily?
…which suspend their voting rights. While those rights are suspended, change the treaties so that it takes at least 3 members to veto any action of the EU.