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House Speaker Kövér: We are nobody’s dogsbodies
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Hungary’s government made it clear from the start that it supports NATO’s enlargement, regardless of the opinions of the ruling party MPs, but at the same time, “we are nobody’s dogsbodies,” Speaker of Parliament László Kövér said in an interview with news portal Index on Thursday on Sweden’s NATO accession.
Asked if he found the situation awkward, as it seems Hungary will be the last to ratify Sweden’s NATO accession, Kövér said: “Why should this be awkward for us? If the Swedes don’t find it so, I don’t feel bad for a moment. On the other hand, someone has to be last.”
Asked whether this was a failure for Hungarian diplomacy, Kövér said Hungary had made its problems concerning Sweden’s bid “quite clear” before.
“Hungary takes it seriously that NATO — in contrast with the one-time Warsaw Pact — is a defence alliance of equal and sovereign states, and it is in our interest to be a member of this alliance,” the speaker said. “To make it clear to everyone: member states here make a voluntary commitment whereby, if any other ally is attacked, it will automatically be considered an attack directed against them and they will provide military assistance to the attacked party. Does everyone understand how great a responsibility this is? We will collectively enter a military conflict if someone is attacked.”
“But now the Swedes — and let me note that the Finns as well — have gone to a point in defaming Hungary and its democratically elected government and restricting its room for manoeuvre, which cannot be dismissed,” he said. After Hungary’s parliament ratified Finland’s accession to NATO, Finland immediately joined a European Court procedure against Hungary, the speaker added.
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Kövér said the situation was handled by Hungarian diplomacy in “the most correct manner”, arguing that it had supported the enlargement, submitted the relevant motions to parliament and showed openness to help deal with the situation that caused uncertainty among some of the MPs. However, in a democracy, the final word is not given by the government, but by parliament, he added.
“Despite the fact that the entire process of NATO enlargement is lacking in the seriousness of thought and democratic thoroughness appropriate to the weight of the matter, the parliamentary majority behind the government supports it in principle,” Kövér said. “I initiated a parliamentary delegation to visit both countries, to make them see that there is a small problem. The response given at the time was not satisfactory, to put it mildly. And now it seems the Swedes do not even appreciate the final gesture.”
NATO can do without Hungary. Hungary cannot do without NATO. Be careful what you wish for.
When you are in an alliance – one’s country’s “interests” may not come first. Let’s pretend (as our Politicians are so fond of) we are playing in a football team. What if every player would decide their personal interests override everything – and have a veto?
I have to agree with Kover. It would be an insult to dogs to call Kover a “dogbody”. These Fidesz politicians create nothing from their brains except mindless rhetoric. They have no reasoning that ever makes sense because their motives are for the most part against Europe and are in promotion of russia’s interest. They continuously promised that Hungary would not be the last to approve Sweden’s accession to NATO. Erdogan signed off on it yesterday. Hungary is last and it’s still delaying. No one can take Hungary at its’ word. Hungary has lost credibility and no one can in the slightest trust Orban and his government. The government controlled media continually pushes anti-American and anti-EU propaganda. For what purpose? For russia.