Author’s note:
This article does not claim that the procedures mentioned were unlawful. Its purpose is to show that transparency in citizenship practices is a matter of public interest.
Author: Dr. Georges Suha
Why is this a matter of public interest?
I thought that after earlier debates around naturalisation, there was little left that could surprise me about Hungarian citizenship policy. I was wrong. A topic is now emerging that may seem geographically distant, but politically and from a rule-of-law perspective is very close to Budapest. It leads to South Africa and raises questions about the transparency of granting Hungarian citizenship.
The central question is simple: on what legal basis, after what kind of verification process, and on the basis of which documents can someone obtain Hungarian citizenship if their Hungarian connection is not immediately clear?
What does Hungarian connection mean?
Hungarian citizenship law is fundamentally based on the verification of a genuine Hungarian connection. In the case of simplified naturalisation, the official requirements may include, among others, having a Hungarian ancestor or being married to a Hungarian citizen, proving knowledge of the Hungarian language, having a clean criminal record, and ensuring that naturalisation does not harm Hungary’s public or national security interests.
This is not a mere technical detail. Citizenship is not a simple administrative benefit, but a legal and political bond between the state and the new citizen. For this reason, every case in which citizens of distant countries obtain Hungarian citizenship may become a matter of public interest, especially when the background of the procedures is not clear to the public.
South Africa and the Hungarian diaspora
There is a historical Hungarian diaspora in South Africa, and its community presence is documented. Hungarian community institutions, cultural spaces and organisations in South Africa, such as the Hungarian Estate in Midrand, have long played a role in preserving Hungarian identity.
However, this alone does not answer the question of what kind of Hungarian connection was verified in individual naturalisation cases, and how strictly the conditions of the procedure were examined.
Why is an EU passport so valuable?
The South African context is particularly sensitive. Public security in the country has long been a serious challenge, as several official international travel advisories also indicate. This may explain why many people look abroad for safer legal, economic or mobility options.
An EU passport is an extremely valuable document in such circumstances. Hungarian citizenship creates a legal link not only with Hungary, but also with the European Union. EU citizenship includes, among other rights, the right to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States.
For this reason, the citizenship practice of a Member State is not only a national matter. It indirectly affects the entire trust-based system of the European Union. When an EU Member State grants citizenship, it is not only admitting someone into its own national community, but also giving access to part of the rights attached to EU citizenship.
Transparency and security risks
The European Commission has repeatedly warned that insufficiently transparent schemes linked to citizenship or residence rights may carry security, money laundering, tax evasion and corruption risks. Although these warnings mainly referred to investor citizenship schemes, the broader principle remains relevant: citizenship must not become a market product, nor should there be even the appearance that rules can be bypassed through the right connections or financial means.
In this case, therefore, the most important question is not who the individuals concerned are personally. The real issue is institutional transparency.
The questions that need answers
How many South African citizens have received Hungarian citizenship in recent years?
On what legal basis did this happen?
What kind of Hungarian connection was verified?
Were language knowledge, documents and possible security risks properly examined?
Was there a consistent practice, or could exceptional procedures have occurred?
These are not politically motivated questions. They are questions of public interest concerning the value of Hungarian citizenship, the accountability of state decision-making and trust in public institutions.
What is at stake?
Hungarian citizenship must not become an administrative formality, nor a process based on trust and difficult to verify from the outside. If all procedures were lawful, the state should be able to explain this clearly. If there were abuses, loopholes or inconsistent practices, then uncovering them is not a political attack, but a minimum requirement of the rule of law.
South Africa is far from Budapest, but the issue of a Hungarian passport is never a distant matter. The value of Hungarian citizenship depends precisely on whether its acquisition is transparent, verifiable and subject to the same conditions for every applicant.
In the end, the most important question is not the personal identity of the new citizens, but how the Hungarian state treats its own citizenship, the credibility of its institutions and trust in the European Union.
This is why public, factual and verifiable answers are needed. Not later, not behind closed doors, but now.
Cover photo credit: ChatGPT
Dr. Georges Suha is an international relations specialist, former ambassador, and expert in consular affairs with deep expertise in Sub-Saharan Africa. He has held senior diplomatic positions and continues to contribute to academic and policy discourse as a university lecturer. With extensive political networks and first-hand regional experience, he offers a nuanced perspective on African affairs, diplomacy, and consular practice. A dual citizen of Hungary and France, he engages fluently across European and African contexts.
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