I think that this is a chess move strategy by the Hungarian government in an effort to push the rest of the big Brussels states into a corner.
EU TERROR FEAR: Hungary offers migrants ‘backdoor’ into Europe with controversial policy
HUNGARY has sparked security fears by operating a controversial policy offering thousands of migrants a “convenient backdoor” into the European Union.
GETTY
Viktor Orbán is notoriously tough when it comes to immigration
Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán runs a policy that offers residence permits to non-EU nationals and their families if they agree to pay £260,000 (€300,000) in government bonds.
The scheme, which began in 2013, entitles applicants to “visa free entry and stay for a maximum of 90 days in the territory of the Schengen Member States”, despite Hungary having a notorious anti-migration stance.
So far, Hungary has dished out 3,649 residence permits under the policy.
While several other EU countries, including the UK, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, Ireland, Greece, Austria, Latvia and Malta, offer residency to financially secure non-EU applicants in exchange for payment or investment in real estate, Hungary’s scheme is one of the most accessible.
Individuals have a period of five years to back the bond and often only having for fork out an upfront payment of up to £52,000 (€60,000).
But the accessibility of the program, which Dutch Liberal MP Sophie in’t Veld told Politico is offering a “convenient backdoor” into the EU, is raising security concerns among other EU politicians.