Orbán to Salvini: Hungary, V4 support EU plan to help Italy

Röszke, Hungary. Photo: kormany.hu

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has told Matteo Salvini, the leader of Italy’s opposition Northern League, that Hungary and other members of the Visegrad Group support the European Union’s plans to help Italy, according to press reports that Orbán’s press chief confirmed on Monday.

Orbán had sent a message to Salvini in connection with Italy’s domestic political disputes over the weekend.

Orbán asked Salvini in the message to pass on the Hungarian position to Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and also convey his request to Conte to support the V4 countries in their endeavours.

On the first day of a week-long meeting with EU leaders and Italian economic and social players on Saturday, Conte appealed to Italy’s right-wing opposition parties that stayed away from the event and, as he put it, “are linked closely to the Visegrad political forces and governments”.

Conte asked them that they should promote Italy’s national interests in the EU member states led by right-wing governments, especially in the Visegrad countries that he said opposed the policy proposed by the European Commission.