Russia suspends its agreement with Hungary on visa-free travel for diplomatic personnel

MADRID, 3 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Russia on Thursday suspended an agreement with Hungary for visa-free travel in diplomatic passports until Budapest removes the restrictions on this document approved in the latest package of sanctions against the Kremlin.

According to Moscow, the agreement --signed in 2001-- is suspended until Hungary eliminates "its violations of the obligations under" this pact or until its termination, as reported by the TASS agency.

Until its suspension, citizens of both countries who have diplomatic or service passports have the right to enter, leave, transit and remain in the territory of the other State without a visa for 90 days.

The agreement is valid indefinitely until one of the parties decides to terminate it and notifies the other through diplomatic channels. In addition, the document provides that each of the parties may partially or totally suspend its operation "in the interest of guaranteeing national security, protecting public order or for sanitary and hygienic reasons," according to the aforementioned agency.

Russia's decision comes days after the Twenty-seven approved their tenth package of sanctions against Moscow, which included a hundred individuals and entities, such as military and political commanders, on the 'blacklist'.

The Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán, has repeatedly reiterated his refusal of the European Union's policies of approving sanctions against Moscow and encouraging the shipment of arms to Kiev to stop the war in Ukraine.

In fact, since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a year ago now, the Hungarian government has been questioned by those who consider that it is positioning itself in profile, if not directly in favor of Russia, which in recent years has in Hungary to its main partner in the heart of the European continent.

Throughout this last year, relations between kyiv and Budapest are not going through their best moment and have become difficult over this issue. A few weeks ago, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry summoned the Hungarian ambassador, after Orbán compared the war in Ukraine with that in Afghanistan.