Putin in Budapest – Leftist opposition: Orbán ‘making way’ for Putin to weaken Europe

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is “making way” for Russian President Vladimir Putin to weaken Europe, the head of the opposition Democratic Coalition said in a statement on Wednesday.

• Putin: Hungary key partner in gas supply for Europe
• Orbán: West, Russia cooperation in Hungary’s interest

Socialists

László Szakács, the party’s deputy leader, told a news conference that no official information had been made available about the reason for Putin’s visit, but it appeared that the Russian president “is coming as an owner” to see his investments in Hungary, such as the upgrade of the Paks nuclear power plant and the International Investment Bank, and to receive a report from Hungary’s government on how these projects were progressing.

Szakács noted that Putin travelled to Hungary regularly, and the government had thus received censure from its own allies in the European Union and NATO. Hungary should instead pursue its relations based on values shared with its allies, he added.

DK

In his statement, Ferenc Gyurcsány insisted that neither Orbán nor Putin were interested in a strong European Union.

“That is why Orbán has more bilateral meetings with the Russian president than with any of his European counterparts,” Gyurcsány said.

Gyurcsány said that Russia was a “hardly predictable power with a thousand issues”. “To cover up those problems they will kill journalists, if needed, imprison opposition figures, or occupy neighbouring territories,” he said. He warned that Hungary could become not a partner but a subordinate vassal to Russia.

Source: mti