Hungarian refugee in Russia, Béla Kovács, accuses Western media of misleading public
Béla Kovács, the former European Parliament representative of the Hungarian Jobbik party, who was sentenced to five years in prison in Hungary for espionage in 2022, has resurfaced publicly in Russia. Known infamously by the moniker “KGBéla,” Kovács fled Hungary after being convicted of passing sensitive information to Russian intelligence between 2012 and 2014, allegedly to undermine European Union institutions and favour Russian interests.
Recently, Béla Kovács made an appearance at a Moscow forum titled “I Want to Live in Russia,” which was organised by the pro-Russian media outlet Ukraina.ru, Meduza reports. Among the speakers was Maria Butina, a member of the Russian parliament, who spoke about “ideological immigration” to Russia, framing it as part of a long-standing tradition dating back to German settlers fleeing religious wars to the Russian Empire.
During his speech, Béla Kovács asked Russians not to take offence at the often negative perceptions of their country among Hungarians.
According to him, these views were largely shaped by the Western media, which, he claimed, misleads many people in Hungary about Russia’s true nature, 24.hu writes.
Fleeing justice, speaking at Russian forums
Kovács’ appearance in Russia comes as no surprise, given that last year, a second arrest warrant was issued for him in Hungary, but he has so far evaded capture. The former Jobbik politician had already been found guilty of espionage and fraudulent misappropriation of EU funds, resulting in a suspended two-year prison sentence. His sentence was further intensified by Hungary’s Supreme Court, which handed him a five-year prison term along with a ten-year ban from public office. Instead of facing his sentence, Béla Kovács escaped to Russia, where he now resides.
The forum at which Kovács spoke is closely tied to a recent decree by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who simplified immigration procedures for foreigners wishing to move to Russia as a refuge from so-called “neoliberal ideologies” in their home countries. According to reports, the program, which officially launched on 1 September 2024, has already attracted interest, though exact figures on the number of participants remain undisclosed.
Hungary’s first political refugee in Russia?
Béla Kovács is perhaps the most prominent Hungarian political figure to seek refuge in Russia in modern times. His legal troubles began years ago, with investigations dating back to his time as a Member of the European Parliament. The Hungarian courts, after initially acquitting him of espionage charges, later overturned the verdict on appeal. The Court of Appeal in Budapest found him guilty of preparing to spy on EU institutions on behalf of Russia. His crimes did not end there, as he was also convicted of budgetary fraud and forgery of private documents.
Despite Hungary’s efforts to apprehend him, including issuing an international warrant, Kovács managed to flee, and his current status in Russia highlights a growing trend among individuals seeking asylum from countries they claim are under Western influence. At the Moscow event, Béla Kovács spoke openly about his decision to relocate, aligning himself with other speakers who praised Russia as a haven from the “oppressive” ideologies of the West.
The forum’s broader significance
The forum in Moscow touched upon a broader geopolitical narrative, with several speakers emphasising Russia’s role as a sanctuary for those disillusioned with Western liberal democracies. Kovács’ presence at the event, alongside other international figures seeking to paint Russia in a favourable light, is a sign of the country’s ongoing efforts to position itself as a counterbalance to Western influence.
While Kovács’ future in Russia remains uncertain, one thing is clear: his involvement in espionage and subsequent flight to Russia marks a rare case of a Hungarian politician becoming a high-profile refugee in Moscow. Whether his situation is a one-off or a sign of deeper trends remains to be seen, but for now, Béla Kovács seems to have found a new home far from Hungarian justice.
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Hungarian Foreign Minister says Russia’s 2021 security proposals to end Hungary’s NATO membership acceptable? Ria Novosti interview and denial – VIDEO
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó’s comments to the Russian state media have caused a significant stir. According to RIA Novosti, a Russian state news agency with close ties to the Hungarian government, Szijjártó suggested that Russia’s 2021 security proposals should have been negotiated by NATO, implying that Hungary’s NATO membership could have been reconsidered.
Máté Paczolay, spokesperson for the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responded in an interview with Telex, following the report by RIA Novosti.
Paczolay firmly rejected this interpretation, clarifying the foreign minister’s remarks. His response came after Telex enquired about the RIA Novosti article, which quoted Szijjártó as stating that NATO should have engaged with Russia’s proposed security guarantees before the conflict escalated. Although Paczolay did not explicitly mention RIA Novosti, it was clear he was referring to the Russian outlet.
The controversy stems from an interview Szijjártó gave to the Russian news agency. In the interview, he stated that war might have been avoided if NATO had engaged with Russia’s draft 2021 agreement on security guarantees before the situation deteriorated. He commented:
“I remember those days well. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen. Nearly three years have passed since then, and perhaps it’s no longer relevant, but I do wish those discussions had taken place. If they had, maybe we wouldn’t be in this situation now.”
At that time, Russian President Vladimir Putin had proposed a deal to the United States, which included NATO rolling back its infrastructure to pre-1997 levels and ensuring Ukraine would never join the alliance. In return, Putin claimed he would refrain from invading Ukraine. If accepted, this proposal would have meant that Hungary, which joined NATO in 1999, would not have hosted NATO forces or weapons.
In his interview, Szijjártó expressed regret that NATO did not engage with Putin’s demands, which many viewed as unreasonable and unrealistic. Had they been accepted, it would have left Hungary more vulnerable.
However, Paczolay clarified that Szijjártó’s remarks were not specifically about Russia’s 2021 security guarantees. Instead, he was referring to the pre-war period, suggesting that “real dialogue and genuine negotiations between the parties could have created an opportunity to avoid war.” Paczolay also stressed that Russia’s 2021 proposals are irrelevant in the current context.
Márton Tompos, an opposition politician from the Momentum party, strongly criticised the foreign minister’s remarks, writing:
The Hungarian foreign minister is a Russian agent. The Hungarian Foreign Ministry serves Russian interests. Hungarian NATO membership is in danger. There is nowhere to retreat. If you vote for Fidesz, you vote for Putin. Péter Szijjártó, get out of public life!
This incident marks the second time in recent weeks that the Hungarian government has faced backlash over its perceived closeness to Russia. Viktor Orbán’s strategist, Balázs Orbán, recently caused controversy by suggesting that President Zelensky should not have defended Ukraine so fiercely during the Russian invasion, claiming that the Hungarian government would not have acted similarly.
As we wrote earlier today, the Hungarian Foreign Minister sent a strong message to America via the Russian state press, condemning Kamala Harris for calling Orbán an autocratic dictator. Read details HERE.
Hungarian foreign minister condemns Kamala Harris for labeling Orbán an autocratic dictator
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has strongly criticised US Vice President Kamala Harris for her comments regarding Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Speaking to the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, Szijjártó expressed his indignation:
“First of all, this is outrageous. It’s unacceptable to speak about my Prime Minister in such a manner. It shows a complete lack of respect for him and the Hungarian people,” he said.
During an interview on Wednesday, Kamala Harris, a Democratic presidential candidate, was asked about Donald Trump’s relationships with various world leaders, including President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. In response, Kamala Harris described them as:
“Dictators, autocrats, and people who could rightly be called killers.”
For several days, the Hungarian government refrained from officially responding to the remarks. This delay was in part due to Szijjártó’s busy schedule, as he was visiting Russia for the 11th time since the outbreak of the war, attending the International Gas Forum. Related article: Cooperation with Russian Gazprom ensures supply and great price for Hungary, foreign minister says in Russia
However, Szijjártó has now addressed the issue.
“We have always shown respect towards the American people and expect the same respect in return. Such statements reflect an utter lack of respect, which is unacceptable, especially between allies,” Szijjártó told RIA Novosti.
When asked whether Harris’s comments would affect Hungarian-American relations, Szijjártó warned that if she were to become the next president, it would not bode well for the future of bilateral relations.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, along with Minister Szijjártó and the rest of the Orbán government, offered their full support to Donald Trump both during and before his campaign, prompting accusations of the Hungarian government interfering in the US election. Despite this, the Orbán administration frequently cautions other countries against meddling in Hungary’s internal affairs. It is also noteworthy that while the Hungarian government deems it crucial to maintain ties with Putin due to Russia’s global influence, the Biden administration, one of the world’s most powerful governments, has repeatedly clashed with and openly criticised the US President.
Read also: Orbán cabinet will continue to block EUR 45 billion loan scheme for Ukraine until the US elections
You can watch the Kamala Harris interview here:
Orbán cabinet will continue to block EUR 45 billion loan scheme for Ukraine until the US elections
A lot depends on who will win the election in the United States this November. PM Viktor Orbán and his government attached Hungary’s fate to Trump’s victory, which is strange in our history. If Trump wins, Orbán will triumph not only in Hungary but also in Europe. And it seems the Orbán cabinet will practically boycott a huge EU loan for Ukraine until the election results arrive.
Hungary regularly votes against EU decisions
According to Euronews, Hungary confirmed that it would not decide about the basis of a EUR 45 billion loan for Ukraine until the 5 November presidential elections in the United States. The loan would be covered by the unexpected profit of the Russian central bank’s frozen assets, so the loan’s basis is not the European taxpayers’ money. That basis would be completed with US, Japanese, and Canadian financial sources to reach EUR 45 billion.
The United States is concerned about the ambitious plan’s long-term sustainability. That is because all EU member states must renew the anti-Russia sanctions every six months. If a member state vetoes or liberates that financial background, the entire project freezes.
The weakest link is Hungary in that regard. The Orbán cabinet regularly uses its veto right in the European Council. For example, they exempted Patriarch Kirill, one of the strongest religious supporters of Putin’s war in Ukraine, from sanctions. Euronews writes that Hungary uses its veto to favour the Orbán cabinet’s and even Putin’s interests.
Hungary gave the green light for the loan scheme this week
To dispel the doubts of Washington, Brussels proposed to increase the anti-Putin sanctions’ renewal time from 6 months to 36 months, so the program’s stability could be granted.
All EU member states were in a rush to accept the loan scheme as soon as possible. The efforts were successful. As we wrote in THIS article, on Wednesday, the Council of Europe agreed on the financial aid package for Ukraine. Since Hungary is the President of the EU, currently, the agreement was reached under Hungary’s leadership.
No decision about the prolongation of the sanctions until 5 November
However, the big question was not the acceptance of Ukraine’s theoretic help, but to solidify the financial leg of it. And in that regard, no steps have been taken forward yet.
Euronews said the Orbán cabinet would decide about the prolongation of the sanctions only after the American presidential election. The acceptance of the loan scheme needed only a qualified majority in the Council of Europe. However, the loan’s fundament is the frozen assets of the Russian central bank. Those financial assets can only remain frozen if Hungary votes for them because the decision needs unanimity.
The Hungarian government still believes that decision can wait until 5 November, Mihály Varga, Hungary’s finance minister, made it clear this week in Luxembourg. Without deciding on the sanctions, the money support programme for Ukraine cannot start.
Varga believes the two presidential candidates represent two opposing scenarios concerning the war in Ukraine. Trump would seek peace while Kamala Harris would continue to support Ukraine’s war efforts.
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Cooperation with Russian Gazprom ensures supply and great price for Hungary, foreign minister says in Russia – UPDATE: agreement signed
Hungary’s government sees ensuring the country’s long-term energy supply, at a competitive price, as the “task and duty” of the state, and both of these conditions are satisfied by its cooperation with Gazprom, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said at the Saint Petersburg Gas Forum on Thursday.
Szijjártó said that the equivalent of 60% of Hungary’s annual gas consumption was already in storage facilities, thanks to a long-term delivery contract and supplementary commercial contracts. He added that while decision-makers in Brussels saw energy as an “ideological” matter, Hungary saw its energy supply as a matter of “physical reality” that depended on delivery infrastructure, too.
He said Hungary was satisfied with its energy cooperation with Russia and Gazprom, adding that deliveries had arrived on time, in compliance with contractual conditions, and agreements on additional volumes had also been reached.
“So far, nobody has made a better offer than our Russian partners. Nobody has offered cheaper or more reliable sources. So my question is, why should we switch,” he said.
Szijjártó said the expiry of the agreement on the transit of Russian gas via Ukraine would not be a problem for Hungary, as the country now gets most of its Russian gas through the TurkStream pipeline. He added that the pipeline, which runs from Russia through Turkiye, Bulgaria and Serbia, could serve as an alternative delivery route for other countries in Central Europe, too.
Fielding questions, he said Hungary’s fair partnership with Gazprom was a guarantee of secure supply and a competitive price. He noted that Hungary had signed a 15-year supply contract with Gazprom in 2021, while supplemental commercial contracts ensured a competitive price. He added that the next such contract would be signed later on Thursday.
Hungary will get 6.7bn cubic metres of gas this year, and next year, it will buy as much as can be accommodated by its full capacity in the TurkStream, he said. He acknowledged “political pressure” regarding Hungary’s energy supply, but said the government’s job was “not to yield to pressure, but to ensure the country’s secure supply”. He called out Western European states for “hypocrisy”, pointing to increased volumes of LNG at their ports as well as deliveries of crude through Indian middlemen.
UPDATE: Hungary, Gazprom sign agreement on secure, favourably-priced gas
State-owned Hungarian energy group MVM and Russia’s Gazprom have signed a supplementary commercial contract that will ensure the continued delivery of Russian gas at a competitive price, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said in a post on social media on Thursday.
It is the government’s task and duty to ensure that Hungary’s energy supply is secure in the long term and that it pays a competitive price, allowing regulated utility prices for households to be maintained, Szijjártó said. He noted that Hungary had signed a 15-year supply contract with Gazprom in 2021, while supplemental commercial contracts ensured a competitive price. The contract signed on Thursday is the continuation of that practice, he added.
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Válasz Online: Hungary’s strongest allies view PM Orbán as a traitor
Péter Magyari, a journalist for Válasz Online, argues that Washington, Brussels, and Berlin no longer wish to persuade the Hungarian Prime Minister regarding anything, as they perceive Orbán and his government as traitors to Western powers and values. This situation could lead to significant policy changes in Budapest, as well as potential sanctions against Hungary, as relations have reached an unprecedented low.
Magyari begins by noting that US Ambassador David Pressman threatened the Hungarian government during a speech at the Budapest Forum on 18 September. He stated, “There must be a reckoning for Hungary’s allies and partners. We too must recognise that what we used to dismiss with an eye-roll requires us to confront it directly and respond to it unflinchingly.”
Pressman remarked that there was a troubling consistency between the words and actions of the Orbán administration. He added that the government exploits the aggressive rhetoric of pro-government media. “Hungary’s billboards, headlines, and statements are no longer – if they ever were – mere words, political rhetoric, or communications ploys. They are an arm of state power,” Pressman asserted.
Magyari believes Pressman chose his words with great care, as diplomats are always required to do so. The term “arm” is particularly significant in this context, suggesting that Hungary has opted to align itself with the “wrong” side of history. If the American ambassador expresses such views, it is clear that Washington considers the Hungarian government a potential threat.
Attacks from American Republicans
Furthermore, Republican leaders in the US have launched additional attacks against PM Orbán and his administration. Mitch McConnell, the US Senate Republican leader, stated that PM Orbán admires Russian President Putin and supports him. “His government runs interference for Moscow, gumming up European and trans-Atlantic efforts to combat Russia’s unlawful aggression at every turn,” he asserted.
McConnell also condemned Orbán’s cordial relations with Xi Jinping and the increasing Chinese influence and investments in Hungary. “When Chinese state enterprise has said jump, Hungarian officials have asked, how high?”, he wrote. “As European allies began to heed warnings from the Trump Administration to reduce reliance on Chinese industry and technology, Budapest repeatedly blocked EU progress and welcomed a geyser of Chinese Belt-and-Road investment.”
McConnell further criticised Hungary’s relationship with Iran, saying, “I have little sympathy for Hungarian companies that struggle to profit from their ties to the genocidal regime in Tehran.” He concluded that the Orbán regime is betting on an American decline. “They’re not hiding the ways they’re preparing for American weakness and betting on our failure.”
In the first weeks of October, a Senate delegation visited Hungary and expressed concerns regarding the deepening ties between Russia and Hungary, as well as China and Hungary, along with the ongoing erosion of democratic institutions in Hungary.
Démarche from Germany and France
The United States is not the Orbán cabinet’s sole critic in the Western hemisphere. We wrote HERE that the ambassadors of Germany and France sent a démarche to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about Balázs Orbán’s words. Balázs Orbán is the political director of PM Orbán, but they are not related. Mr Orbán sat behind the prime minister even today in Strasbourg while his boss was explaining the priorities of the Hungarian EU Presidency and answering critical remarks said by the officials of the European Commission and MEPs.
Balázs Orbán said in an interview that they would not have recommended Zelensky defend his country against Russian aggression. That is because the Hungarians learned from our 1956 anti-Communist uprising that resisting a Russian invasion is futile. Orbán’s words were followed by public outcry. The two ambassadors said such thoughts undermine the common values of NATO and the European Union.
Orbán not neutral
Válasz Online believes that Germany’s message was unequivocal: PM Orbán’s notion of “economic neutrality” and his failure to choose between East and West are unacceptable to the West.
Politicians in the West perceive the Hungarian government as a puppet of China and a supporter of Putin. This is not neutrality; rather, it is an alignment with adversaries.
Meanwhile, Magyari points out that Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has expressed the Hungarian government’s warm feelings towards Milorad Dodik, the leader of the Serbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Washington has imposed sanctions on Dodik multiple times due to his actions undermining the Dayton Agreement.
Szijjártó, for instance, consistently praises Belarus, Russia, China, and other Eastern nations on his Facebook page, while routinely criticising Western leaders. He has claimed that China is a global peacemaker, while American and EU politicians are pro-war, risking further escalation. This indicates that the Hungarian government views NATO as a threat to global peace, rather than Russia, which invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Strong ties to Russia harm business
Media reports indicate that the Orbán cabinet’s close ties to Russia were a key factor in the Hungarian company Ganz-Mávag’s failure to acquire the Spanish company Talgo in September.
All these factors suggest a shift in Hungary’s standing within the West. Magyari contends that Hungary is no longer seen as an ally but rather as a foe. The journalist expressed uncertainty regarding whether there are any quiet negotiations about a policy shift from Hungary or further sanctions from the EU. Many speculate that the outcome of Trump’s election in November will significantly influence these issues.
Read also:
- PM Orbán in the ‘lion’s den’: can he convince the European Parliament that he wasn’t a traitor? – read more HERE
- Counter-protester interrupts start of Viktor Orbán’s press conference in Strasbourg, he asked how much he betrayed Hungary for – video and more in THIS article
Péter Magyari, a journalist for Válasz Online, should not be confused with Péter Magyar, the leader of the Hungarian opposition Tisza Party and currently the most significant challenger to the Orbán regime.
Featured image: Geert Wilders, leader of the Dutch Freedom Party, Andre Ventura, the leader of the Portuguese Chega party, Italian deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini, and PM Viktor Orbán in Pontida last weekend. Photo: MTI
Hungarian PM Orbán blackmailed by Putin? – UPDATED
Addressing a debate in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday, opposition Tisza Party MEP Péter Magyar said the premierships of Ferenc Gyurcsány and Viktor Orbán “were the decades of missed opportunities”, insisting that Hungary had become “the poorest and most corrupt” country in the European Union.
Responding to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s speech on the Hungarian EU presidency’s programme, Magyar said Orbán “had every opportunity over the last 14 years to make Hungary a land of fulfilled promises”.
“Our ancestors fought for centuries for our country’s independence and sovereignty and to make Hungary a part of Europe,” Magyar said. “An overwhelming majority of Hungarians voted to join NATO and the EU, and if they had to vote today, they’d say the same thing.”
Magyar said he was in agreement with Orbán on the need to protect the EU’s external borders and take firm action against illegal migration. He criticised Hungary’s government for “releasing 2,000 people smugglers from Hungarian prisons”. He accused “government-affiliated oligarchs” of “doing business with residency bonds” and the government of planning to build a “migrant camp” near the border with Austria.
“Why have you spent 1,309 billion forints (EUR 3.3bn) on propaganda in five years when the Hungarian state isn’t functioning and public services are falling apart?” Magyar said.
Magyar shook hands with Orbán after his speech:
Russians blackmailing Orbán?
Klára Dobrev, an MEP of the leftist opposition Democratic Coalition, said Europe “doesn’t care” about the programme of the Hungarian EU presidency because it considered it “unserious and filled with platitudes”. She insisted that the Hungarian prime minister was “growing more and more detached from reality, fighting enemies that are the figments of his own imagination and alienating Hungary’s true friends and allies”.
Dobrev said Orbán was setting up obstacles to EU policies with the intention of helping Russia and its oligarchs and aiding extortionate Russian gas and energy imports to the benefit of Russian President Putin. She called on Orbán to “reveal what the Russians are blackmailing you with”.
Orbán’s MEP Tamás Deutsch thinks Magyar has mental problems
Tamás Deutsch, an MEP of ruling Fidesz, said Magyar had “mental problems”, arguing that he had admitted to secretly recording a conversation with his wife for the purpose of blackmailing her later, and that he had “psychologically abused” her.
“Magyar’s actions are a textbook example of domestic abuse,” Deutsch said. “But he’s also in legal trouble because he has committed a crime,” Deutsch added, noting the allegation that the Tisza leader accosted an individual at a club and stole his mobile phone before throwing it in the Danube.
Deutsch said Magyar was “hiding behind his immunity to escape accountability”, calling on MEPs “not to be his accomplices”.
Csaba Dömötör, another Fidesz MEP, said the EP was “mounting a witch hunt” against Hungary while the EU’s competitiveness was weakening and the Schengen system “crumbling”.
Zsuzsanna Borvendég of the Our Homeland Movement accused the EU of “punishing” Hungary, withholding funds the country is entitled to and refusing to contribute to border protection costs. She said the EU also wanted to boycott the programme of the Hungarian EU presidency despite the fact that it had put important issues on the agenda.
UPDATE – Orbán’s reactions
Europe must be protected from European left
Europe must be protected from the European left wing, “as they think democracy only exists as long as they win and ends as soon as the right wins”, the prime minister said during a debate on the Hungarian presidency’s programme at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday. In his response to MEPs’ speeches, Viktor Orbán said the debate “has long left behind common sense and the world of facts”. The EP “has become a field of cheap propaganda,” he said.
Orbán said that propaganda rendered intelligent, impartial debate on the rule of law and corruption impossible. According to the European Commission’s report on the rule of law and Hungary’s judiciary, the country “has complied with all demands and requests”, he said, adding that the EC itself had found Hungary’s public procurement system to be fully in line with Brussels requirements.
The proportion of Hungarian respondents who said they were satisfied with the state of democracy in their country was higher than that in most other European countries, he said.
“It is possibly not by chance that Hungarian voters have consistently put their trust in us at elections.”
MEP beat peaceful people with an iron bar in the streets of Budapest
Responding to accusations of graft levelled at Hungary and Orbán himself, he said: “If you read data published by the World Bank, rather than corruption reports funded by George Soros, you would see that Hungary is up to scratch in that regard. It is no different from your countries.”
Orbán called it “absurd” that Green MEP Ilaria Salis, “an antifa activist arrested in Budapest who beat peaceful people with an iron bar in the streets”, was speaking about the rule of law. A Belgian MEP also “lectured Hungary on the rule of law”, even when a conference on that very topic was recently “banned” in Brussels, he said.
Putin sat in their kitchen
Commenting on a statement by the European Socialists, who said Hungary “has an overly friendly relationship” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Orbán turned to Democratic Coalition MEP Klára Dobrev, saying: “When your husband [Ferenc Gyurcsány] was prime minister, Putin sat in your kitchen. You used to be proud of that and flooded the Hungarian media with pictures of the event.”
He lamented that an occasion to present the Hungarian presidency’s programme to the EP had “turned into a debate on Hungarian domestic politics”. At the same time, MEPs “can see clearly that Hungarian democracy is fine, thank you; it is robust and strong.”
He said “it isn’t right” that Hungarian MEPs “attacked” their country in the EP. “What sort of person would use an international forum to attack their own country?”
It was also “absurd”, he said, that a Hungarian MEP now sitting in the European People’s Party had recently told the Hungarian public that being an MEP was a “fake job, only for making good money”.
Europe must be protected from the left
Referring to Tisza party leader Péter Magyar, Orbán said: “I think it is egregious that a Hungarian should talk about abuse [of power] here, even as there is an ongoing procedure against him for theft at home,” adding that Magyar had “clearly” taken on his mandate “only to hide behind his MEP immunity”.
“I must say it seems that the left thinks democracy only exists as long as they win, and ends as soon as the right wins,” he said, adding that Europe was to be protected from the left.
“More respect for Hungary! More respect for Hungarians!” he said in conclusion.
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Historian: The Hungarian people won’t learn Chinese, just like they didn’t learn Russian – Hungary belongs to Europe
Even if Hungary were to leave the European Union or NATO in the coming years, the Hungarian people’s European identity would remain intact because its roots go far deeper than any political decision, historian Ignác Romsics stated on Magyar Hang’s program Kompország.
Romsics explained in Kompország that while a political decision could be made to withdraw from Western organisations, such a move would undoubtedly trigger alarm bells in people’s minds. The decision to join NATO and the European Union was legitimised through a referendum. According to Romsics, if Hungary were to consider turning its back on these institutions, the public would have to be consulted again.
“I am convinced that in such a scenario, the majority of Hungarians would choose Western and Central Europe over China and Russia, as that is where we have always belonged in spirit,”
he added.
He further noted that Hungary has always been a part of Europe, even during the 150 years of Ottoman rule and throughout the Kádár era. Despite compulsory Russian language education, people disliked it; they would have preferred to learn English or German. Hungarian youth did not gravitate toward Soviet films, but rather American ones. They wore jeans, drank Coca-Cola, and their behaviour reflected a Western orientation, not a Russian one.
Romsics also expressed doubt that the Hungarian people would embrace learning Chinese, despite the government’s growing ties with Beijing. While economic cooperation with China is possible, it poses challenges. Currently, over 70% of Hungary’s export-import activity is with the West. In contrast, only 1.3% of Hungary’s exports go to China, and 7% of imports come from there. In fact, Hungary’s entire trade with Asia accounts for less than 20% of its total foreign trade, he pointed out.
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State-owned Hungarian energy company can conquer Romania’s market after large-scale acquisition
State-owned Hungarian energy company MVM allegedly shook hands with the German E.ON group to buy its Romanian subsidiary, E.ON Energie. The subsidiary is the second biggest on the market with a 41% market share, but the Romanian government is concerned about the transaction due to the Orbán cabinet’s strong Russian ties. Will the Talgo case happen again?
State-owned Hungarian energy company buying Romanian top energy company
According to sources sharing information about the planned acquisition with Hotnews.ro, the state-owned Hungarian energy company MVM would buy E.ON Energie. They will sign the documents only after the Romanian elections. The first round of the presidential elections will be on 24 November. The second round has been set to take place on 8 December. On 1 December, Romanian citizens will cast their ballots in the parliamentary elections. However, German E.ON and Hungarian MVM would only like to announce the transaction after the presidential and parliamentary elections.
Sources talking to Hotnews about the large-scale acquisition said the Hungarian company wanted to obtain E.ON Energie’s provision business and planned to buy the distribution activities. Before, E.ON conducted talks with other companies like Romgaz and OMV Petrom about the transaction. Allegedly, they shook hands with the Hungarian energy company.
Romanian press wrote that the Ciolacu cabinet is concerned about the developments. Sources said the prime minister’s office would create a committee to examine the arrangement. Romanian top officials are worried due to the Hungarian government’s Russian ties. Since MVM is state-owned, they suspect risks since they believe there is a chance that millions of Romanian customers may get under the influence of the Hungarian government having good ties with Putin’s Russia, portfolio.hu wrote in their summary.
Will the Talgo case happen again?
We wrote HERE that Hungary’s Ganz-MaVag consortium made a generous offer to acquire 100% of the shares of the Spanish train manufacturer Talgo. However, from the start, the Spanish government opposed the deal, citing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s pro-Russian policies. Eventually, Spain successfully prevented the transaction, leaving Hungary reliant on outdated, 20–30-year-old Western European train carriages.
E.ON Energia provides gas for 3.4 million customers in Romania. It is the second largest market player with a 41% market share after Engie. In addition, they have an approximately 5% market share in the electricity sector.
Loss-making company in Hungarian ownership
E.ON noted that they would like to sell their subsidiary because of the uncertainties of the Romanian market, posing significant risks and instabilities. The reason is the Romanian government’s frequently changing energy price caps and compensation rules. Romania privatised E.ON Energie in 2004, selling it to E.ON Ruhrgas for EUR 300 million. Currently, 68.18% of the shares are owned by E.ON Romania. The Energy Ministry of Romania had 31.82%.
Currently, the possible transaction concerns only the provision business. In 2022, E.ON Energie had a EUR 2.75 billion income but generated an almost EUR 72 million loss.
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FM Szijjártó: Hungary doesn’t want EU to send military advisers to Ukraine
Hungary rejects a new European Union proposal to deploy military advisers in Ukraine to coordinate training as it carries the risk of escalating the war, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, said on Wednesday.
He noted that late in 2022 the EU decided to train Ukrainian soldiers in the territory of EU member states, and he noted that Hungary decided against providing soldiers or funding for it, and it rejected training missions on Hungarian soil.
He said that at the same time, Hungary had not tried to prevent other member states from taking part in the initiative. But since then “an extremely dangerous proposal” has been advanced on sending military advisers to Ukraine to carry out coordination tasks in addition to extending the mission’s two-year mandate, Szijjártó said, adding this carried the risk of escalating the war.
“It’s perilous for Hungary, too, as escalation … first takes place in the neighbourhood, not thousands of kilometres away,” he added. “We cannot support the proposal in its current form,” he said, noting that Hungary has requested a revision of it.
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Former PM Gyurcsány accuses PM, goverment of ‘betrayal’
The leader of the opposition Democratic Coalition (DK), Ferenc Gyurcsány, has accused the prime minister and his government of committing a “historical, political and moral betrayal” of Hungary and its people in recent years.
At a press conference in Budapest on Tuesday, former PM Gyurcsány said Viktor Orbán had sided with China, having argued “for years” for a response to a rising China. Orbán’s stated neutrality in the struggle between the West and China was in fact pro-China and a “historical betrayal”, given Hungary traditionally belonged to “a very clear circle of civilisations”.
“Europe and the West have extremely strong positions in this struggle,” Gyurcsány said. Based on 2023 figures, the US and Europe accounted for 44 percent of the world economy, while China only accounted for 19 percent; around half of global military spending was linked to NATO, while only 14 percent came from China, he added.
The DK leader spoke of a “historic betrayal” when Orbán “wants to put Hungary on China’s side”. “This is not good for Hungary, it is a historical curse for Hungary.”
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Meanwhile, Gyurcsány called Orbán’s change of “Russian policy” in 2009 “incomprehensible”, having “turned from being one of Hungary’s most anti-Russian politicians to one of Hungary’s most pro-Russian politicians after fifteen minutes of negotiations with Putin.” “In those fifteen minutes, the Hungarian prime minister was blackmailed by Putin” with the stakes either tied up with state security or financial considerations, Gyurcsány said.
He added that recent comments by Balázs Orbán, the prime minister’s political director, suggesting that Hungary would “surrender to Russia” was “not something he let slip” but “a confession of the policy represented by Viktor Orbán”. Related article: Official of Orbán cabinet says they would NOT have defended Hungary in case of a Russian invasion
Is resistance against Russia futile in case of an invasion? – Here is the answer of PM Orbán, UPDATED
Hungary always defends itself and the “heroes of 1956 are sacrosanct”, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Friday, calling it a “mistake” on the part of his political director to have made “ambiguous comments” about defence against Russia and 1956.
“Hungary always defends itself as it has in the past, as it does today and will do so in the future with every possible means, just as the constitution mandates all Hungarians to do,” Orbán told public broadcaster Kossuth Rádió when asked whether Balázs Orbán‘s recent remarks implied that Hungary would not defend itself.
The prime minister said the disagreement between the “pro-war and pro-peace sides” would continue to intensify in Hungary and the rest of the world until November’s US presidential election. Most recently, he added, the revolution of 1956 had been brought into the debate, warning that it was crucial to “be very clear when discussing such sensitive issues” and leave no doubt about where one stands.
“This time my political director spoke ambiguously, which in this context was a mistake since our community is grounded in the revolution of 1956; that is what it grew out of and wouldn’t be our political community if it weren’t for the heroes of 1956,” Orbán said, adding that he had no doubts about the political views of any senior Fidesz politician. He said he was certain that Balázs Orbán would fight for the country “in the event of such a turn of history”.
Orbán said “sacrosanct and unassailable events and heroes like 1956 and its heroes” should be kept out of the debate on war and peace. “I don’t want the Ukraine-Russia war to cast a shadow on the memory of the freedom fighters of 1956 to whom we owe our gratitude and whose honour we should keep alive,” the prime minister said.
Political director’s ‘ambiguous’ remarks don’t change the ‘excellent job’ he has done
The “ambiguous” remarks made by the prime minister’s political director in connection with defending the country against Russia and the 1956 revolution “don’t change the excellent job he’s done in Hungarian public life over the past decade”, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office said on Friday.
Gergely Gulyás said on Facebook that Balázs Orbán had spoken “ambiguously” in his interview with political weekly Mandiner, and “at times like this, in politics there will always be those who misunderstand what was said.”
Gulyás noted that the political director clarified later his comments and that he believed that the heroes of 1956 “are among the most glorious in Hungarian history”.
Gulyás said those who were now “smearing” the prime minister’s political director were “the champions of lies”.
Gulyás said that opposition Tisza leader Peter Magyar’s “secret recording of a conversation with his wife is reminiscent of the worst communist practice”, insisting that “not a day goes by that he doesn’t say something that is factually untrue.”
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Hungarian foreign minister praised Belarus in New York – UPDATED
Belarus has always been a reliable partner in the transit of crude oil and no problems with shipments through its territory have emerged, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, said in New York, ahead of a planned meeting with Maxim Ryzhenkov, his Belarussian counterpart.
The dependability of energy supply is the most important issue for Hungary, and Belarus generally does not get the attention it deserves in this regard, the ministry cited Szijjártó as saying.
Szijjártó pointed to the danger posed recently to Hungary and Slovakia’s oil supplies as a result of Ukrainian measures to restrict Russian Lukoil deliveries. Thanks to coordinated action on the part of the Hungarian government, oil and gas company MOL and the Russian partner’s flexible approach, Ukraine transit deliveries have resumed, he noted.
“And we must not forget that the Druzhba pipeline runs through Belarus to Ukraine’s border,” he said.
Szijjártó noted that the volume of oil delivered via the Druzhba to Hungary in recent days exceeded 3 million tonnes, and he thanked Belarus for ensuring its continued transit.
Nuclear cooperation will also be on the agenda, with the expansion of the Paks power plant having reached “another milestone”, with soil excavation under way and concrete scheduled to be poured by year-end, he said.
Based on International Atomic Energy Agency standards, the Paks site is now registered as a nuclear power plant under construction, he added.
A power plant using similar technology was recently built in Belarus, and the engineers who worked there are now working at Paks. “The Russian contractor is continually transferring the freed-up workforce from Belarus to the Paks site. So, the investment can be expected to speed up significantly,” he said.
Global powers’ failure to negotiate is ‘nonsense’, says Szijjártó
The failure of global powers to negotiate with each other is “nonsense”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said in New York on Wednesday. The purpose of diplomacy is to allow opposing sides to discuss important matters, Szijjártó said in a statement issued by his ministry. “It’s nonsense for somebody to be stigmatised and called out for standing up for peace or for diplomatic solutions and keeping diplomatic channels open,” he added.
At a meeting of G20 foreign ministers, he warned against initiatives to establish blocs, as in the Cold War, and said it was in Hungary’s interest to avoid such developments, given its history. Hungary backs fair international cooperation that is based on mutual respect, a system in which countries aren’t “chastised”, he added.
The whole world could profit if the principle of connectivity were to be adopted in the coming period, he said. Hungary’s pragmatic economic and foreign policy has made the country a “meeting point” between companies, especially automotive industry companies, from the East and the West, he added.
He noted that Hungary was home to all three premium German carmakers and five of the world’s ten biggest battery makers. “This shows that efforts to decouple the economies of the East and the West are nonsense,” he said. Hungary’s government is opposed to any measure that advances polarisation and that further restricts global free trade, he added. “We Hungarians are counting on the openness and wisdom of G20 countries, with whose support we can enter the era of connectivity instead of reverting to the Cold War era,” he said.
UPDATE: Szijjrátó asks UN SG to intercede to start dialogue between global powers
Szijjártó asked United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to intercede to advance negotiations between the United States and Russia in New York on Thursday, his ministry said. After meeting with Guterres, Szijjártó warned that the failure of the world’s biggest powers to speak to each other presented an “extraordinary risk” in terms of global security.
“We also know well that it comes with the risk that the world will be divided into blocs again and we could return to the nightmare that was the Cold War,” he added.
“I’ve asked the UN secretary-general to intercede in the interest of getting the global powers, the Americans and the Russians, to finally talk to each other,” Szijjarto said.
He added that an end to the Ukraine war would not be possible without American-Russian dialogue.
Szijjártó said the UN needed to take up its original role as a platform for establishing dialogue between countries that were on bad terms or in conflict.
The start of an American-Russian dialogue could bring “new hope” for global security, as well as the security of Central Europe, he added.
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Official of Orbán cabinet says they would NOT have defended Hungary in case of a Russian invasion – UPDATED with PM Orbán’s reaction
The prime minister’s political director, Balázs Orbán, said in an interview that in the case of a Russian attack, the Orbán cabinet would not have defended Hungary and “would not have gone to war” with Moscow. Orbán said that in a podcast with a government-close Mandinder journalist. His sentences sparked public outrage, one of the most popular Hungarian political analysts called his interview the biggest politician error of the year. Will there be consequences?
Orbán reacted to the speech of the US Ambassador
Balázs Orbán is one of the strongmen around PM Viktor Orbán. The identical family name is a coincidence, nobody ever questioned that they are not relatives. Some insiders say that after the US presidential elections, PM Orbán will introduce changes in the government and his political director might become Hungary’s new foreign minister. However, he might even see his political career end after what he said in a Mandiner interview.
The political director talked with Mátyás Kohán, a journalist of Mandiner in a podcast about the situation in Ukraine. Among other issues, they recounted Ambassador David Pressman’s thoughts about Hungary and the 1956 anti-Soviet revolution and freedom fight. Pressman asked in his Budapest Forum keynote speech in September how the country of 1956 could be so cosy with Putin’s Russia.
“How can a country be both a member of the European Union and also at war with “Brussels?” How can an ally of the United States also, in the Prime Minister’s words, be its “adversary?” How can a repeated victim of Russian aggression also obstruct efforts to respond to it?”
Mr Kohán said he wanted to vomit after reading Pressman’s speech saying that, in 1956, Hungary could not rely on American help against the Soviet invaders.
Mr Orbán raised the stakes. He said the Hungarian government did not tell President Zelensky anything about his decision because each country has a right to decide its fate. But he said they would not have recommended Zelensky to lead his country and nation into a “defensive war” against Russia. He said that we learned that in 1956: Hungary grasped that “we must be cautious with Hungarian lives”.
Hungary had no chance in 1956 but we fought back
In 1956, Hungarians said no to communism and being a satellite state of the Soviet Union and rose against dictatorship and poverty. They successfully chased away hardline communists and won the revolution. However, the Soviet Union decided to crush the revolution and the Western allies did not help. If they had intervened, they would have risked a nuclear war.
Hungary could not resist the Soviet invasion, but tens of thousands of people fought at the barricades against the tanks. The Nagy Imre government fled to the Yugoslavian embassy, and only one minister, István Bibó, remained in the parliament. However, PM Nagy called for resistance.
Orbán’s words suggest that in the case of a full-scale Russian invasion Hungary, as a NATO and EU member, would not have resisted, and the Orbán cabinet would not ordered the defence forces to fight back. That is probably nonsense, but it will be hard to explain that.
Political analyst: the biggest mistake
The reactions from political opponents and one of the most popular Hungarian political scientists arrived immediately. Gábor Török said Orbán’s interview was the biggest mistake a politician committed this year. Former PM Ferenc Gyurcsány said the Orbán cabinet would give Hungary to Russia without resistance. They would create a satellite state. Wishing such policies to hell is the duty of all patriots, he added.
Csaba Molnár, the party’s VP, questioned the development of the Hungarian military and asked which regions Orbán would give to Russia without a fight.
Péter Magyar, the leader of the biggest Hungarian opposition party Tisza, said Orbán humiliated the memory of thousands of freedom fighters, so he should resign before the memorial day of the 1956 revolution, 23 October.
Márton Tompos, an MP of the Momentum Movement, called the Orbán cabinet Russia’s agents, while Péter Ungár, co-president of the LMP, asked which counties Orbán would sacrifice.
Orbán attacks in his response
Orbán, in response, called the opposition politicians propagandists and said the war in Ukraine should not have been started and the conflict should have been ended with diplomacy. He called the politicians who slammed him “pro-war”, and the media that attacked him “foreign-funded”.
UPDATE: Hungary’s pro-peace stance rock-solid
Hungary’s pro-peace stance has always been rock-solid and it will remain rock-solid in the future, too, even under pressure from pro-war forces, Balázs Orbán, the prime minister’s political director, said in a video posted on Facebook on Thursday. Orbán said that in politics remarks often got twisted, which is why he wanted “to set a couple of things straight” in connection with Hungary’s 1956 anti-Soviet revolution and freedom fight. “The heroes of 1956 are national heroes, their memory is sacred and unassailable; those heroes were right and did the right thing,” he said.
In the context of the Russia-Ukraine war, the political director said: “Unfortunately, we have been under pressure from pro-war propaganda everyday for two and a half years. And this pro-war propaganda fears nothing, not even mixing up the memory of the 1956 heroes with the Russia-Ukraine war and what is happening on its frontlines.”
LMP cited Orbán as suggesting that Hungary would not have set up defences against a Russian military aggression. Party co-leader Peter Ungar said Hungary had the right to defend its territory against an attack and called it “shocking” that a politician claiming to be “a patriot” would suggest otherwise.
The Socialists called the political director “a traitor” of his homeland and called for his resignation from politics, public life and departure from the country.
Péter Magyar, the leader of the opposition Tisza Party, said Orbán had crossed all lines with his “outrageous remarks” with which he “had ended up using the 13 most brightly shining days of 20th century Hungarian history for foul everyday propaganda purposes”. Magyar called on the political director to resign.
UPDATE 2: Here you may read PM Orbán’s reaction.
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Hungarian foreign minister met again with Russian FM Lavrov to discuss cooperation
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó met with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in New York on Wednesday, his ministry said in a statement.
Maintaining ties with Russia on the basis of mutual respect, and advancing cooperation in areas that are not affected by sanctions is in Hungary’s interest, Szijjártó said after the meeting.
He added that the Russian foreign minister always strived to accommodate the requests of the Hungarian government and was positive and open to resolving important matters affecting the sides.
Szijjártó said another “milestone” had been reached in the expansion of the Paks nuclear power plant with the start of full excavation. The first concrete at the site will be poured by year-end, which is necessary for the project’s “under construction” designation according to National Atomic Energy Agency standards, he added.
Hungary is counting on cooperation with Russia to extend the lifespan of the existing four blocks at Paks, he said.
Hungarian FM acknowledged Russia’s flexibility
Szijjártó acknowledged Russia’s flexibility in the matter of ensuring Hungary’s crude supply after measures by Ukraine threatened transit deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary and Slovakia.
Speaking about a visit by the Ukrainian foreign minister to Budapest in the coming week, Szijjártó said minority rights would be on the agenda, pointing to the deprivation of some rights of the Hungarian minority living there. He added that Hungary expected those rights to be restored.
He said the talks would also touch on economic cooperation, including cooperation on transportation and infrastructure developments.
Szijjártó reiterated Hungary’s pro-peace position and hope for a ceasefire, peace talks and the end of the war as soon as possible.
Szijjártó: ‘Fastest way to peace’ the real issue
The real issue regarding the war in Ukraine is to find the fastest way to peace, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, told the 79th UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday local time. “Unfortunately, I have to start with saying that we live in an age of dangers,” Szijjártó said.
After the fall of communism and Hungary’s Euro-Atlantic integration, “we would not have thought that we would be facing again the phantom of cold war,” he said.
As a neighbour of Ukraine, Hungary “has been living in the shadow of war” and facing its consequences by accepting 1.3 million refugees from the country, Szijjártósaid. “We have been paying the price of a war which is not our war, and for the outbreak of which we do not bear any kind of responsibility.”
“I think that after almost a thousand days, the real question is not what we think of the war, the real question is how peace could be made. Or even more precisely … we have to ask which is the fastest way to peace. Because we have to pick that one,” Szijjártó said, adding that Hungary wanted no more destruction.
The success of the European Union and the international community’s response to the war must also be weighed carefully, he said. “And if we are honest with ourselves, we have to say that practically nothing has worked out … [that] was based on an assumption that there might be a solution on the battlefield.”
Weapons deliveries made no sense
The international community must also ask whether weapons deliveries “made any sense”, Szijjártó said. “And obviously, they have made no sense … because weapon deliveries have not changed the situation on the battlefield and they have not brought us closer to peace either.” Weapon deliveries had only increased the number of weapons on either side and prolonged the war, he said.
He also called on those deciding on whether weapons from the West would be allowed to be used in “strategic depth in Russia” to make responsible decisions and to consider the danger of escalation such a step would bring.
Szijjártó said Hungary was deeply concerned over the “open and shameless reference of the possible use of nuclear weapons”.
Seeking a solution at the negotiating table would save many lives, Szijjártó said. “Therefore Hungary argues in favour of an immediate ceasefire and the start of peace talks. This would be the fastest way to peace.”
The minister said the “international liberal mainstream” had turned “peace into a curse word”. Those arguing in favour of peace “will be immediately attacked and stigmatised”, he said.
He called on the UN to play a bigger role in the diplomatic efforts to end the war, as it provides a legitimate forum for warring parties to negotiate.
Szijjártó said Hungary considered it “nonsense and unacceptable” that representatives of world powers were not talking to each other, as that posed national security threats as well as the danger that the world would be divided into blocs again.
East-West cooperation is important
The world could benefit greatly from a “civilised East to West cooperation”, he said, adding that Hungary’s foreign policy was pragmatic and patriotic.
Global politics needed a fundamental change and must return to the principle of mutual respect by once again using dialogue and diplomacy as its most important tools, he said.
The fact that the supporters of peace were in the majority in the UN gave cause for hope, and Hungary was proud to be a member of “this global majority for peace”, he said. “And we are ready to support all global initiatives which are aiming at reaching peace, and we are ready to discuss all peace plans.”
At the same time, Szijjártó said it was “unacceptable that some countries would like to give exclusivity to one or another peace plan… We absolutely want all peace plans to be discussed,” he said, commending China and Brazil for drafting one and expressing hope that that peace plan would also be on the agenda.
He said economic sanctions were useless and hurt certain European countries more than they did Russia.
Brussels committed a huge mistake
Regarding illegal migration, Szijjártó said Brussels had committed a “huge mistake” when trying to manage rather than stop migration. Hungary stood by its right to determine whom to allow into the country, he said. International law said all those forced to flee their homes had the right to temporary asylum in the first safe country, “but not on the second, the third or the fourth one”. “Hungary will continue to stop the flow of illegal migration on its border, through which basically we save Europe from further huge security-related challenges”, he said. “In the meantime, it is insane” that Hungary had to pay hundreds of millions of euros in fines “because of complying with international law”, Szijjártó said.
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Controversy: Putin supporters invited to the 29th Budapest International Book Festival
The 29th Budapest International Book Festival has yet to begin, but the organisers are already facing criticism for inviting individuals who have publicly supported Vladimir Putin and Russia’s actions against Ukraine. While some are outraged by this decision, the organisers maintain that politics should remain separate from cultural events of this kind.
Founded in 1994, the Budapest International Book Festival is one of Hungary’s most prestigious and eagerly anticipated events. This year marks its 29th edition, running from 26th to 29th September at Millenáris Park in Budapest. Much of the media’s attention is focused on the guest of honour, Jón Kalman Stefánsson, a leading figure in contemporary Icelandic literature, who will also be awarded the Budapest Grand Prize by the Mayor of Budapest. However, others have taken note of the more controversial guests of the Budapest International Book Festival, questioning whether some of the invitees are truly deserving of the honour.
Putin supporters among the invitees
Népszava has drawn attention to two Russian invitees of the Budapest International Book Festival, Alekszej Gravickij and Dimitrij Bak, both of whom have been investigated by Hungarian literary historian Zsuzsa Hetényi. Hetényi uncovered that both individuals are supporters of Putin and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, outlining her findings in a detailed Facebook post. Gravickij, a Moscow-based author, is a member of the Writers’ Union of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR). Hetényi pointed out that this writers’ union was established in May 2015, soon after the onset of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War.
It is worth noting that the DPR is a territory seized by pro-Russian separatists from Ukraine. In 2022, Gravickij signed an open letter expressing his support for the so-called “special operation” in Ukraine. Despite these facts, Gravickij is scheduled to participate in two programmes during the festival, according to 24.hu. His book will be discussed during a programme titled How to Create, Destroy and Rebuild Invented and Alternate Worlds on Thursday, followed by a conversation on Saturday entitled Professional Secrets – Meeting Alekszej Gravickij, Author and Screenwriter.
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Budapest International Book Festival receives backlash
Hetényi also voiced her disapproval of Dimitrij Bak’s invitation to the 29th Budapest International Book Festival. Bak, a journalist and translator, is the head of all literary museums in Russia and was one of 80 prominent Russian cultural figures who signed an open letter supporting Putin’s actions in Ukraine and Crimea. Hetényi said that it is “compromising and infuriating to participate in an event alongside people like them” and has expressed her intention to protest during their roundtable discussion on Saturday.
Following the online controversy stirred by Hetényi’s post, both Népszava and Index reached out to Katalin Gál, president of the Association of Hungarian Publishers and Book Distributors. Gál responded by stating that participants in the book festival should not be judged in this manner, asserting that they should not be investigated and calling for greater empathy. She also clarified that Gravickij has been invited for his expertise in science fiction, not for his political views.
However, Gál acknowledged that if Hetényi wishes to voice her concerns during the discussion, she is welcome to do so, as the issue is indeed a significant one. Gál suggested that Hetényi “watch or listen to at least one of their programmes,” adding that she could also confront the author directly if she wishes, as her knowledge of his work appears to be limited to Wikipedia. Finally, Gál emphasised that Ukraine will also play a central role at the Budapest International Book Festival, with four programmes dedicated to Ukrainian literature and its connection to the war.
It will be interesting to see how this controversy unfolds and what impact it may have on the Budapest International Book Festival, which remains free for all to attend. The full programme is available on the official website.
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Author: Alexandra Kádár
Hungarian foreign minister negotiated again with Russia
Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó on Wednesday said he will meet Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in New York to discuss bilateral cooperation, the global security situation and the possibilities for the settlement of Russia’s conflict with Ukraine.
“We will, of course, discuss the security situation with Sergey Lavrov,” Szijjártó said, according to a ministry statement. “The Russians are, of course, aware of Hungary’s position. We want peace as soon as possible because the sooner there is peace the fewer people will die in Ukraine.”
Szijjártó said the past two days had convinced him that the European Union’s “condescending and pedantic tone” had pushed the bloc’s member states into the minority in the United Nations.
“The vast majority of the countries of the rest of the world have simply had enough of paying the price of the war in Europe whether it be in the form of rising energy prices, a downturn in food security or inflation, and they see that Europe itself keeps fuelling the conflict instead of trying to bring an end to it,” the minister said.
Mutual respect, says the foreign minister
As regards Hungarian-Russian bilateral matters, Szijjártó said Hungary needed fair cooperation with Russia based on mutual respect in order to ensure the security of its energy supply.
He welcomed the successful resolution of the difficult situation caused by Ukraine’s move to restrict the flow of Russian crude to Hungary. “This required flexibility from the Russian suppliers, which we were shown,” he said.
Szijjártó said Hungary’s natural gas supply was “completely secure”, noting that the capacity and reliability of the South Stream pipeline meant that Hungary would not be impacted if Ukraine decided to cut off the transit of Russian gas at the end of the year.
“This is a more serious issue for some countries in the middle part of Europe, but fortunately it doesn’t affect us,” he said.
Szijjártó calls for preventing regional war in Middle East
Szijjártó called for “sobriety” on the part of the countries in the Middle East in order to prevent the armed conflict in the region from escalating into a regional war. The Middle East has been gripped by a “tragic conflict” since Hamas’s “unacceptable, diabolical terrorist attack” against Israel on October 7 last year, Szijjártó said in New York after talks with his Lebanese and Palestinian counterparts, according to a ministry statement.
Hungary’s position, he said, was clear, noting that the government considered it important to prevent a repeat of such a terrorist attack, demanded the unconditional release of the hostages, and saw it as important to limit the number of civilian casualties and avoid an escalation in the conflict.
“And the way I see it, it’s this fourth point that’s causing most of the difficulty, because it’s been clear from early on that if this armed conflict spreads to another country, it will be very hard to limit the fighting to that other country’s borders,” he warned.
Lebanon “sliding into the conflict”
Szijjártó expressed concern over Lebanon “sliding into the conflict”, arguing that if it entered the war, it would be “very hard to stop the conflict at Lebanon’s borders”.
“And if this armed conflict turns into a regional war, then knowing the situation and level of stability in the region and knowing the role the countries there play in global politics, we are, unfortunately, faced with the threat that another crisis region in addition to Ukraine could totally undermine global security within a matter of moments,” he said.
Szijjártó said it was for this reason that Hungary believed it was critical that every country in the region act responsibly and that a regional war had to be prevented.
He said the people of Lebanon bore no blame for what was happening in the Middle East or for Hezbollah’s rocket strikes against Israel.
The minister expressed hope that innocent civilians, families and children would not have to suffer because of the “brutal actions of terrorist organisations”.
He noted the Hungarian government’s close ties with Lebanon’s Christian community, saying Hungary did not want Lebanese Christians to “face more hardship”.
“We’re in constant contact with the leaders of the Lebanese Christian community, we’ve sent them aid so that they can ensure the community receives the health care they need,” Szijjártó said.
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Czech President criticises PM Orbán for undermining European unity amid Ukraine conflict
Czech President Petr Pavel has expressed concerns that leaders like Hungary’s Viktor Orbán are making it more difficult to establish the terms of peace for the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. This is not the first time that the Czech head of state has criticised the Hungarian PM. Additionally, Pavel, in an interview with The New York Times, emphasised the need for Ukraine to be realistic about the likelihood of regaining its occupied territories in the near future.
Pavel: “This may sound appealing, but it’s not true”
According to Pavel, the pro-Russian stance of leaders such as Orbán is weakening European solidarity and will likely result in some Ukrainian regions remaining under Russian control for an extended period, even after the fighting ends, Index reports based on Pavel’s interview with the New York Times. “The most probable outcome of the war is that Russia will retain control over parts of occupied Ukraine, at least temporarily. But that ‘temporary’ period could stretch for years,” Pavel said. This view is increasingly shared by European officials, especially after Ukraine’s unsuccessful counteroffensives last year.
The Czech president criticised Orbán’s rhetoric on supporting Ukraine, calling it nonsensical. He argued that a swift end to the war was essential to prevent further depletion of Europe’s resources.
“The problem lies in populism. It’s easy to say we shouldn’t send weapons to Ukraine and peace will follow. But that’s not realistic,”
Pavel added, referencing Hungary’s repeated claims that Western allies and NATO are war-mongering, while Orbán has advocated for a peaceful solution.
Pavel dismissed the idea that only Orbán desires peace, stating that the Hungarian leader’s approach is misleading. “To constantly claim that everyone wants war, and you’re the only one seeking peace—it may sound appealing, but it’s not true. Unfortunately, many people don’t realise that such promises are not realistic,” Pavel remarked.
The “peace mission”: Orbán’s visit to Moscow
In July, Orbán became the first EU leader to visit Moscow since the invasion began, meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This meeting followed a visit to Kyiv and was followed by a trip to Beijing earlier in the year. However, Orbán’s diplomatic tour did not result in any significant breakthroughs.
Ukraine’s territorial integrity and future are set to be central topics at this week’s NATO summit, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to request continued military and political support from Western allies. Zelenskyy is also slated to present his victory strategy to U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington.
Pavel: “Neither side should expect total victory”
Pavel pointed out that neither side—Ukraine nor Russia—should expect total victory or defeat. Ukraine must come to terms with the reality that it may not regain all its territories, such as Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014 and may never be returned. Conversely, Russia will have to relinquish its broader territorial ambitions over Ukraine. “The solution will likely fall somewhere in between,” Pavel noted.
While Ukrainian officials have signalled a greater openness to negotiations with Russia, they have also made it clear that any peace deal would come with a high price for Moscow, given the enormous loss of Ukrainian lives. However, a recent poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology indicates that the Ukrainian public is increasingly leaning toward the idea of ceding territory if it would lead to an end to the fighting. In the war’s first year, only 8–10% of Ukrainians supported such a move; by May of this year, that number had risen to 32%.
Despite Ukraine’s hopes for a resolution, Western officials maintain that any peace negotiations will need to involve Russia, even as Zelenskyy looks for ways to conclude the war without Moscow’s direct involvement.
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