Hungarian passports no longer protect Hungarians living in Ukraine

Hungarian media outlets reported yesterday that Hungarian men living in Ukraine, having Hungarians citizenship and passport, can no longer cross the border. After Russia’s invasion, many fled the country because they did not want to go to war against Moscow’s army. Most come to Hungary by using their Hungarian passport. However, many of them returned after the first shock of the invasion since work on the fields started in March. Now it seems they no longer can get out if the war arrives at the westernmost region of Ukraine inhabited by more than 150,000 Hungarians.

It is easy to get a Hungarian passport

According to atv.hu, those Ukrainian citizens who try to cross the border as Hungarian citizens, using their Hungarian passports risk a lot. That is because authorities closely monitor people going to Ukraine and do not let them return despite their Hungarian passports. As a result, many families lose their financial safety because military-age men working in Hungary cannot cross the border.

Ukrainian laws do not allow dual citizenship. However, even some members of the political and business elite hold dual citizenship. According to origo.hu, members of the previous governments had Canadian, American, French, Israeli, Italian etc. passports.

National minorities did the same: Romanians, Poles, Hungarians acquired EU citizenship and passports.

In the case of Hungarians, the second Orbán government’s modifications in the Hungarian citizenship law made it very easy to attain citizenship.

• Read also: Hungarian passports save lives in Ukraine – here is how