Opposition Párbeszéd, LMP demand hearings on govt residency bond scheme

The opposition Párbeszéd and LMP parties on Monday called for convening parliament’s national security committee in connection with recent reports on the government’s residency bond scheme.

Speaking to reporters, Richárd Barabás, a spokesman for Párbeszéd, cited a report by news portal 444.hu which said that influential Russian citizens, including politicians and the heads of state companies, had been granted permanent residence status in Hungary under the bond scheme.

Párbeszéd also demands that bond holders residing in Hungary should be banned from the country, Barabás said.

LMP called for convening parliament’s defence and law enforcement committee and hear officials of the national security services, the immigration office and the government.

The Democratic Coalition said it would turn to the European Commission over the bond scheme citing security concerns.

“It constitutes a national security risk that the government had allowed terrorists, criminals and spies to enter into Hungary’s and the EU’s territory,” Zsolt Greczy, the party’s group leader, told a press conference.