Nobody foresaw what this politician would do with the Russian wreath after the 15 March commemoration – VIDEO

PM Orbán’s Fidesz and an opposition party are outraged after the Russian Consul General marked 15 March in Debrecen, accepting the invitation of the city’s leadership. However, they are not outraged for the same reason. Konstantin Drachevskii was present at the event and laid down a wreath decorated with Russia’s colours at the feet of the Lajos Kossuth statue. Here is what happened after that.

Russian forces ended Hungary’s freedom fight

We explained in THIS article how and why the Habsburg Empire’s new and young leader, Franz Joseph, asked the help of Tsar Nicholas I to crush the 1848-1849 revolution and freedom fight of the Hungarians. Eventually, the Hungarian Defence Forces led by Artúr Görgei surrendered to the Russian invaders in the hope that the tsar would be able to convince his fellow monarch to avoid brutal retaliation. We know that he was not successful in that, and executions started that fall.

Fidesz MP, Fidesz mayor and Russian Consul General on 15 March commemoration

Debreciner, a local media outlet, shared a photo in which Fidesz MP Lajos Kósa stands next to Russian Consul General Konstantin Drachevskii during the city’s 15 March commemoration. On Kósa’s left, there is László Papp, Debrecen’s mayor, and one of his deputy mayors, István Puskás.

Momentum councillor removed the wreath, Debrecen leadership outraged

László Mándi, a local councillor of the opposition Momentum Movement, said in a video that he was shocked to learn that the Russian diplomat participated in the event and laid a wreath on the feet of the statue of Lajos Kossuth decorated with the Russian tricolour. He believes Russia should not have been allowed to participate in the commemoration since they suppressed the freedom fight and attacked Ukraine, where tens of thousands of Hungarians live. Therefore, he removed the Russian wreath from the memorial. Check out the video below:

Debrecen’s leadership condemned his deed in an official statement. They did not mention the suppression of the freedom fight or the attack against Ukraine but talked about mutual respect between nations and confronting the past in general. They added that Mr Mándi disgraced Debrecen with his deed, calling it provocative and harmful.

Read also:

• Hungary will only vote to extend the EU sanctions list if a Russian oligarch is removed from it
• The 1st Ukraine-Russia war memorial outside Ukraine may be erected in Budapest