US Limits Visa Rights For Hungarians
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Simmering tensions between Hungary and the United States further rose Wednesday after Washington limited the Hungarian participation in a visa waiver program.
Citing security issues caused by years of
citizenship policies under rightwing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán Washington limited the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) validity period for Hungarians.
Under the change, the ESTA validity period for Hungarian passport holders traveling to the U.S. under the American Visa Waiver Program would be reduced from two years to one.
The current standoff affects Hungary as the only one of 40 countries participating in the U.S. program.
After coming to power in 2010, Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán’s government implemented a significant policy change that granted citizenship to ethnic Hungarians abroad — including Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine.
The opposition says Orbán’s controversial move was designed to boost his electoral prospects. Washington seems to agree. “The Government of Hungary’s simplified naturalization process granted Hungarian citizenship to nearly one million people between 2011 and 2020 without adequate security measures in place to verify their identities,” added the U.S. embassy in Budapest.
However in a reaction, Hungary’s interior minister argued that the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden was “taking revenge on Hungarians”. Previously Orbán made clear he would prefer another person in the White House such as former U.S. President Donald J. Trump.
PERSONAL DATA
The interior ministry added that the United States demands that the Hungarian government “disclose personal data” in connection with Hungarians with dual citizenship living abroad.
Hungary would not reveal such data “because the security of ethnic Hungarians is at stake,” the ministry stressed in a statement monitored by Worthy News.
Washington’s move comes when Hungary’s relationship with Western partners is low.
Earlier this year, the U.S. imposed sanctions on a Hungary-based bank linked to Russia.
Besides tensions with Russia, Budapest also frustrates NATO allies by not yet ratifying Sweden’s bid to join the alliance.
An attempt by the opposition to make Parliament ratify the agreement on Monday did not succeed as lawmakers of the governing Fidesz party stayed home, Worthy News learned.
Additionally, there are Western concerns about senior Hungarian officials promoting “Kremlin-style narratives” at home, as well as over efforts to water down European sanctions targeting Moscow.
Several Western countries have also criticized “deteriorating democratic standards in Hungary.” And, Hungary undermines the rights of LGBTQ+ people there, activists say.
Orbán has denied wrongdoing saying his country supports ethnic Hungarians and wants to introduce Christian values.
If you are interested in articles produced by Worthy News, please check out our FREE sydication service available to churches or online Christian ministries. To find out more, visit Worthy Plugins.