‘Energy threat’ from Ukraine intensifying, says PM Orbán
“The energy threat from Ukraine is intensifying,” Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in a post on Facebook on Thursday, noting that European foreign ministers gathered in Brussels had “waved in” a new package of sanctions yesterday and “Brussels bureaucrats” had signed off on “an absurd energy policy” whose goal was to “support Ukraine at any cost”.
“This is the sole factor guiding them,” Orbán wrote. “That’s why they want to cut off Russian gas and oil supplies,” he said, adding that this would entail Hungarian households paying 2-3 times more for their energy.
He said energy policy should be about making energy “cheap, accessible and secure”. “Economic competitiveness and the well-being of families rests on these foundations,” he said. “But it’s obvious that Brussels bureaucrats are uninterested in the livelihood of Europeans.”
Families in Hungary “receive energy at affordable, reduced prices, and we will protect this,” he declared. “But we can only fend off the Brussels energy threat together,” he said, urging Hungarians to participate in the Voks 2025 vote on the question of Ukraine’s prospective EU membership.
The prime minister said: “One million people have already voted. Join us! Don’t let them decide over our heads!”
More than 1m votes submitted in referendum
More than 1 million votes have been submitted in the plebiscite on Ukraine’s fast-tracked European Union membership, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in a video on Facebook on Thursday. “This is a fantastic achievement, maybe even exceeding expectations,” he said, and encouraged voters to send in their referendum papers.
“Pressure is growing from Brussels, and it is becoming harder and harder to protect Hungary’s interests as they are trying to push the Ukrainians into the EU,” he said. “If we want to protect the livelihood of our families, our farmers, the utility price caps, then we need to speak our minds. Submit your votes!” Orban said.
Orbán holds talks with Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians leader
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Thursday held talks with Bálint Pásztor, head of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians (VMSZ), the prime minister’s communications department said in a statement. Orbán said VMSZ plays a crucial role in the development of Hungary-Serbia relations. The statement said that experiences gained from the Vojvodina economic development programme and possibilities for further developing the programme were discussed at the meeting.
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