BREAKING: New US travel sanctions against Hungary?
The United States may introduce severe travel restrictions against several Hungarian politicians following the Global Magnitsky Act, which enables sanctioning foreign individuals who have committed human rights abuses or been involved in significant corruption.
Bipartisan support behind the American ambassador
According to 444.hu, that is why American Ambassador David Pressman travelled back to Washington recently. He consulted with the leaders of the White House’s national security board about the Hungarian-American bilateral relationship. Concerning the discussion, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a statement.
He wrote “Ambassador Pressman clearly understands and represents American interests and values in Budapest, including our enduring commitment to democracy, rule of law, and equal rights.” He added that Mr Pressman enjoyed bipartisan support in the US Senate.
Read also:
- Hungarian state secretary: US ambassador has no respect for Hungarians – Read more HERE
- LEAKED: PM Orbán behind closed doors about dangerous US-plan in Europe – Read more HERE
However, Mr Cardin said he had “deep concerns over the direction of the current Hungarian government, whose officials have repeatedly attacked President Biden and Ambassador Pressman in ways that should be unthinkable for an American ally. The Biden Administration should be examining whether Hungary truly is a trusted partner deserving of participating in the Visa Waiver Program – and given the level of corruption, whether it is appropriate to initiate sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act.”
Hungary is the least reliable member of the NATO
Mr Cardin called Orbán the least reliable member of the NATO. The Senate chair added that Orbán unnecessarily delayed economic help for Ukraine. Furthermore, Mr Cardin said Orbán should end his obstruction concerning Sweden’s NATO accession.
He highlighted that Hungary’s ‘Sovereignty Protection Act’ was “a direct assault on the rights of journalists, civil society, political figures, and anyone who criticises the Orbán regime, directing the state’s intelligence agencies and law enforcement to surveil, detain, depose and imprison those who voice dissent. It’s nothing short of draconian and unlike anything we’ve seen in a modern democracy.”
You may read the full statement HERE.
Here is the Twitter post about their meeting:
Excellent discussion today with the American ambassador to Hungary, @USAmbHungary, who enjoys bipartisan support for his excellent work advancing American interests and values. pic.twitter.com/YTMLDYM792
— Senator Ben Cardin (@SenatorCardin) January 31, 2024
Hungarians will need a visa to travel to the USA?
Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s foreign minister, talked about the possible use of the Global Magnitsky Act against Hungarian politicians in 2021. He added that is how the USA tries to interfere in the 2022 Hungarian parliamentary elections. However, nothing happened. Washington currently uses that act against former Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov.
Hungary has been a member of the Visa Waiver Program since 2008. As a result, you can travel to the USA and spend 90 days there without a visa after a simple e-registration. In 2023, Washington already introduced a sanction concerning that program. Those Hungarians born abroad lost that simplification, so they need a visa to travel to the USA.
Former Socialist Speaker of the Parliament in Washington
The policy on Hungarian communities abroad unites all Hungarians living in the Carpathian Basin and the diaspora, Katalin Szili, the prime ministerial commissioner for Carpathian Basin autonomy affairs, said in Washington, DC on Thursday.
Meeting representatives of around fifteen local Hungarian organisations at the Hungarian embassy, Szili noted the government has declared 2024 the year of national cooperation in light of the fact that policies for Hungarian communities abroad were launched a decade and a half ago. Szili cited the National Virtual Space initiative, through which Hungarians living anywhere in the world will be able to follow the broadcasts of Hungary’s public media, as an example of how policies were been “fine-tuned”.
Szili briefed representatives of the Hungarian organisations about the situation of Hungarian communities in the Carpathian Basin, including demographic changes, noting that the demographic composition of Transcarpathia was undergoing a transformation as a consequence of the Ukrainian population fleeing to Transcarpathia from eastern Ukraine due to the war.
Hungarian spends lots of money on the diaspora
Szili said the Hungarian government has spent 1,300 billion forints since 2010 on investments in 5,500 cultural and education institutions in the framework of policies for Hungarian communities abroad.
Ildikó Pataki, the regional president for North America of the Diaspora Council, elected last November, introduced herself and spoke about her plans to involve young people in the activities of the Hungarian diaspora.
During her two-day visit to Washington, DC, Szili attended the National Prayer Breakfast, where she met members of Congress, Republican House Representatives and Senators and discussed issues of identity of values, as well as possibilities for peace in Ukraine.
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14 Comments
The Biden crime family needs monthly payments to keep to be in there good graces- Ukraine – Romania- Russia and China have known this for over 15 years.
As for democracy – if you hear that word you should know they mean just the opposite. US reporter was put in jail in Ukraine and the Biden did nothing to save him even though the US controls the country for over 10 years and is now dead. Early reporting shows how they got rid of the democracy in UKRaine in 2013-and he must be shut up. You don’t send 200 Billion to a poor country and not have control. Victoria Nuland was running the show then and is still in charge today- number 2 in the US state dept. .this is all on line at Greg Reese at Info Wars earlier reporting of the now dead reporter.
This is how the fascist communists (formerly known as Democrats in the US) behave when you dare question their policies and ideas.
The Biden Administration has used the power of gov’t to suppress political dissent and silence critics. While PM Orban is not a Saint, he is far more welcoming of criticism than the Biden Administration.
Senator Cardin should concern himself more with controlling his employees from having and filming gay sex scenes in Senate chambers. Why a worthless and ineffective Senator from an inconsequential state like Maryland wishes to control Hungary is worth asking. Hungarian would be best off in ignoring people like Cardin and Pressmen. Long live a free and Christian Hungary.
It’s not at ALL a surprise, expressed by those in the KNOW, at the time of Bidens appointment, which we KNOW, the broadening of the “rift” – between the Biden administration and Victor Orban since 2021, the wrongness of the Orban led Government, in its CRITICISM of the United States of America a DEMOCRACY.
America holds ALL the BIG Cards that should they continue to “play” them, the Orban Government will be all but Destroyed.
Cards they hold exampled, that any automotive vehicle part, manufactured in Hungary, irrespective by WHOM the car/vehicle & “other” manufacturers may be, that the United States of America could “Sanction” that the production of manufactured car/vehicle and “other” componentry, being landed received in the United States of America be CEASED.
America distanced from the IMPACT they through there POWER being a DEMOCRACY could inflict on Hungary, that through the Orban led Government, has been the SOLE reason, why Hungary and the United States of America, the “brittleness” of there relationship.
When Pressman stops insulting and criticizing the government and all the people, he may be respected. Interesting, democrat appointed ambassadors always spend their time criticizing the country. Hungary should start praying for a Republican win in 2024 to save the country from further annoyance.
Interestingly, Pressman never talks about the dreadful crime, the open borders, increased prices of food and energy and the starving Americans.
America should pull the log out of its own eye before it looks for the splinter in Hungary’s eye. American politicrats are just angry that Hungarians don’t bend over when told to do so.
Calling Hungary “the least reliable ally of the United States” is somewhat charitable to the Orban government. Realistically Hungary at present is not an ally of the US. The question to ask is whether the Orban government is an ally of Russia.
Today was a sad day for 3 American families. The bodies of three brave soldiers arrived at Dover airport base. The same day the Biden Administration finally retaliated for the killing of the 3 soldiers and injuries of 40 other brave men.
Iranian backed terrorists from Syria and Iraq were responsible for the attack. The US, using B1 bombers hit 85 targets in Iran and Syria.
This atrocity is the result of bad foreign policy of the Biden regime. Under the Trump administration, the sanctions put on Iran nearly bankrupted the country. Iran did not have extra money to train and finance terrorists. The Biden Administratio removed the sanctions.
The US has the gull to criticize Hungary’s policies. Hungarian policies do not result in the death of fellow citizens. Pressman should think about this before criticizing Hungary. If Pressman was smart, he would learn from PM Orban.
Ambassador Pressman is a political activist! The US a democracy? Haha!
Peter cries about the U.S. interfering in the Hungarian elections while Victor goes to the U.S. to campaign for Trump, has Biden hater CPAC here where he is the speaker, and continues to disparage Biden on the world stage.
To be clear, Biden regime has invited – now over 8 million – no visa needed from over 150 countries. All expenses paid.
If you do get questioned – just say you are fleeing the dictatorship of Hungary . If you make to the border free plane trips are available to any where US- mobile phone included..
anyOne who knows Orban name are big fans of him. The MSM has lied for 8 years anything trump – they are the majority -only a corrupt election and staging a so called inserection. 9 months of left wing violence – 24 dead and billions in destruction is now never mentioned and 3 people arrested but thousands for J6. Only killing was woman vet killed by a capital police man and was promoted. He feared for his life but was the only one with a gun.
funny to see people from a country that was always on the wrong side of history, has been historically insignificant, thinking they are big actors in a global scale.
Hungary survives through supoort from the EU and US, as soon as they decide to pull the plugs, Hungary will be a soviet vassal state like it was in 1956.
Correction
…Today was a sad day…Countries bombed were Iraq and Syria and not Iran. Sorry.
Orbánistan, its illiberal tribe-chief with his Petrusinus butler and the whole bunch of mandarines belonging to his pathetic court, they should know one basic rule of life: one can not keep the same foot inside of two shoes.