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Statement
by András Simonyi, Ambassador of
Hungary
to
the
United States
May 24, 2007
House
Committee on Foreign Affairs
 Subcommittee
on
Europe
Hearing on
Expanding the Visa
Waiver Program, Enhancing Transatlantic Relations
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I thank the Chairman of the Subcommittee of Europe for holding today’s
hearing on: Expanding the Visa Waiver Program, Enhancing Transatlantic
Relations. I would like to commend the Chairman on taking the leadership
to address this issue of great importance of
Hungary
and that of the transatlantic relationship.
I am convinced that expanding the Visa Waiver Program will enhance
transatlantic relations. Currently, the visa issue casts a shadow on the
otherwise diverse and friendly relationship between the
United States
and some of its strongest European allies, including
Hungary
. The Hungarian public gets a feeling that our citizens are not welcome
to visit the
USA
based on the mere assumption that they cannot be trusted to return to
their homelands. Hungarians feel that they are unfairly treated as
second class citizens. These are the same Hungarians who have served
shoulder-to-shoulder with American soldiers in
Iraq
,
Afghanistan
and the Balkans, the same Hungarians who are a strong ally as members of
NATO and a staunch advocate of transatlantic partnership as members of
the EU. Our citizens cannot accept that 17 years after the fall of the
Berlin Wall, they’re still denied of free travel to the
United States
. This has clearly become a
public issue that – against our will – damages
America
’s image. On the practical side, the current visa regime is an
obstacle to the promotion of tourism, business and educational and
people-to-people exchanges for both Hungarians and Americans. In a time
when our countries are united in the war against terror, and for the
promotion of democracy and freedom, the division lines caused by the
current visa regime must be eliminated. This is essential in order to
maintain the support of our citizens to the common objectives.
Contrary to some concerns, the modernization and expansion of the Visa
Waiver Program would not trigger economic migration from our countries
to the
USA
. Hungarian citizens have access to visa free travel to all EU member
states and a great number of other countries. They enjoy the right to
get engaged in employment in the majority of European Union countries.
It is safe to say that visa free travel from our countries does not
represent a threat to the
US
labor market.
It is also safe to say that visa free travel from our countries does not
represent a security risk, either. We have been working hard with the
United States
on improving our security cooperation. We recognize the importance of
this aspect of the visa regime and share the concerns of the American
people about their safety. We are willing to work further on the
security features of the Visa Waiver Program. We are pleased that the
Bush administration and many members of Congress have been supporting
the reform of the Visa Waiver Program legislation exactly in a way that
both strengthens security and facilitates travel of our citizens to the
United States
. In this context, I welcome the initiative of Congressmen Emanuel and
Shimkus for the Visa Waiver Modernization Act (H.R. 1543) and urge other
members of Congress to co-sponsor this legislation. With the help of the
Congress, through the expansion of the Visa Waiver Program, we could
tear down the last reminiscent of the Cold War.
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