Will Hungary ban Russian tourists? Here is the minister’s answer

Reuters reported yesterday that Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Finland, which all share a border with Russia, might stop Russian tourists from entering their countries. That will happen if the European Union refuses to enact a union-wide ban. The Hungarian foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, talked with his Estonian counterpart today via phone and discussed this issue as well.

According to the Hungarian foreign minister’s Facebook post, he was happy when he learned that Urmas Reinsalu was the foreign minister of Estonia again. That is because their relationship was good, and they could cooperate effectively. Therefore, he was happy that Reinsalu initiated a phone talk with him today to discuss current issues linked to the war in Ukraine.

Szijjártó wrote they agreed the war must end soon. The government of Estonia will initiate a new sanction package, he added. The foreign minister cleared that the Hungarian government will not even discuss sanctions concerning the energy sector.

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That is because, without Russian oil and gas, the energy security of Hungary would be in peril. He highlighted that they would not allow the Hungarian people to pay the price of war. Moreover, they discussed the initiative of an EU-wide visa ban for Russian nationals. “We sympathize with the standpoint of the German chancellor and do not plan any restrictions or tightenings”, Szijjártó said.

The European Union’s chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, also opposes a visa ban for all Russians travelling to Europe, euobserves.com reported. HERE you may find the summary of the Reuters in the issue.