The Hungarian government has announced a program aimed at relaxing visa restrictions for Russian and Belarusian nationals, which will incorporate the same security vetting procedures as other residence permits, as stated by the interior minister in a letter released on Wednesday.

This initiative has raised alarms within the European Union regarding potential espionage activities.

Last month, Budapest expanded its "national card" immigration scheme to include individuals from Russia and Belarus, prompting concerns among EU officials about the possibility of these nations utilizing the program to infiltrate the EU's Schengen zone with saboteurs and spies.

These apprehensions are indicative of the ongoing tensions between EU leaders and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's administration, which has maintained a close relationship with Moscow despite the latter's military actions in Ukraine.

Holders of the national card will be permitted to work in Hungary without requiring additional security clearance and may also bring their families to the country.

In his correspondence to the EU's internal affairs chief, Sandor Pinter emphasized that the issuance of the National Card would adhere to the relevant EU regulations while taking into account potential security risks.

He noted that Hungarian laws and practices, which have not faced objections from the Commission thus far, remain unchanged.

Pinter also mentioned that an annex to his letter, which was not made public by Boka, would address the inquiries raised by Ylva Johansson, the EU's internal affairs chief.

Earlier this month, Johansson cautioned Hungary that its decision to relax visa restrictions for Russian and Belarusian citizens could pose a security risk and indicated that she would take measures if her concerns were not adequately addressed.