Polish-Hungarian relationship may be at a historic low: is PM Orbán a persona non grata in Warsaw?
Polish Deputy Minister for European Affairs Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka announced that the Hungarian ambassador to Warsaw, István Íjgyártó, was “not welcome” at the opening event of the Polish EU presidency. The Hungarian FM called that pathetic and childish. The Polish “rudeness” seems to be due not to PM Orbán’s standpoint concerning Ukraine or Russia but to internal Polish political clashes.
Poland, a historic ally and friend of Hungary, took the EU presidency from Hungary on 1 January and organised an opening ceremony yesterday evening in Warsaw. However, though they invited the Hungarian ambassador, István Íjgyártó, they added in a diplomatic note that the Hungarian diplomat was not welcome at the event. Though it is not compulsory, Poland did not invite PM Orbán.
Polish opposition party PiS said the Donald Tusk-lead government did not organise an opening event for the EU leaders because, in that case, the president, Andrzej Duda (PiS) would welcome the guests. Former defence minister and current parliamentary group leader Mariusz Błaszczak said PM Duda’s decisions make Poland ridiculous.
Hungarian Opposition Socialists outraged
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s policies go against European values, the opposition Socialists said on Friday, and called on the Hungarian government to respect democratic principles. The fact that Hungary’s ambassador to Poland was not invited to the opening ceremony of Poland’s European Union presidency was a clear rejection of the Hungarian government’s policies, the party said.
PM Szijjártó: pathetic and childish
The decision of Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski is “pathetic and childish”, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said according to a ministry statement on Friday, commenting on Sikorski’s decision to declare the Hungarian ambassador to Poland persona non grata at the opening event of Poland’s EU presidency.
Sikorski sent a diplomatic note to the ambassador on Friday, saying he was “not welcome” at the event. Earlier on Friday, Polish deputy minister Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka told Polish public media that the ban was linked to Hungary’s decision to grant asylum to Marcin Romanowski, a former Polish deputy justice minister.
Polish-Hungarian clash due to former minister Marcin Romanowski’s asylum in Hungary
The Socialists said that the decision was linked to Hungary having offered political asylum to former Polish Deputy Justice Minister Marcin Romanowski who is currently a subject of a procedure on suspicion of corruption in his home country. It added that Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, the deputy minister in charge of EU affairs had said that Hungary’s decision violated the principles of European solidarity and rule of law.
The Socialists said the incident was another example of how the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was undermining common EU values and cooperation between member states.
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Certainly.
The “re-shape” or coming back into the fold, under DEMOCRACY, of “pro-active” positive membership of the European Union, open and “un-restricted Dialogue, with the United States of America, the Polish – Separation – away from the Orban – his political ideas and philosophy – ideology – that we know, at the outbreak of the Russian War on the Ukraine, that Poland & Orban, behaved in “close” alignment & partnership, this – SERVERANCE- of Orban / Hungary by Poland, has seen rightful favours granted and handed Poland.
Poland – grows even in these times of un-certainty, moving STRONGLY forward as a country, that its population over-all has embraced and SUPPORTS.
Poland, possibility exists, could in time, reach a performance level as a country, that DISPLAYS across all sectors of its Economy, being the “New” power-house of Europe – under DEMOCRACY.
Orban, the country of his “Pressurized” Prime Ministership – Hungary, in a state of Economic & Financial “Free Fall” – the Nadir painting a CLEAR picture of representing a cataclysmic DISASTER, having NO respect nor favours out of Brussels, the European Union, nor Globally countrys of Governance under DEMOCRACY, that is opposite, to what is being ACHEIVED in Poland, and the FUTURE that Poland have.
Orban – Hungary, after near on 16 years, as there Prime Minister, that sees that country, representative of the DARKENED years in there History – 1945-1989 – under Communistic Dictatorship from Russia, Moscow that WORSENS – intensifies – that millions of that countrys population have been deeply damaged, that sees NO end, to Hungary, being under the Orban – Fidesz Government, in a position to move forward – have a FUTURE.
Poland has LIGHT as opposed to Hungary – DARKNESS.
Poles, that elected a socialist Brussels puppet should not be trusted. It is a good thing that Hungary is not a neighbor of Poland, one less border to protect.
No worries Maria, Poland is protecting itself, maybe you need to watch more news from there, good economic, and fighting corruption, ah and by the way please ask to Hungary to return Mr Romanowski so that they an apply something called justice. I know this is a very new word for you
Orban is quite welcome in many other places: Moscow, Minsk, Tehran, Beijing, Caracas, Havana and formerly in Damascus. The list may soon be expanded to include Pyongyang.
Larry, you forgot Baku and .Tashkent… 😄
Mario, you forgot to mention the good old USA. P.M. Orban is now being welcomed in India. Mario, try telling the truth for once. You will lose your credibility like mainstream US media.
@mariavontheresa – re the good old US of A … Be careful what you wish for. Let´s first see how special this relationship will be, in particular whether it yields any tangible benefit for Hungary and “Hungarian Families!” in the short to medium term.
In the meantime – also good US of A, “He that lieth down with dogs shall rise up with fleas” – Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanack.