Hungary once again postponed the ratification of Sweden’s and Finland’s accession to NATO on Thursday 25 November. Parliament will decide during its first 2023 session, said Viktor Orban and not at the end of this year as recently announced.
In early November, Viktor Orban’s chief of staff said he had no objection to Sweden and Finland joining NATO, and assured that as allies, these two countries could count on Hungary .
This postponement of several months is therefore a “ incomprehensible decision for the socialist opposition; for the liberal movement Momentum it is a new blackmail exercised on the European Union (EU). The Hungarian government explains that if the parliament does not have time to take up the subject, it is because of a traffic jam of texts that it must adopt to fight against corruption… And this to respond to the demands European institutions.
arm wrestling
Brussels freezes 7.5 billion euros in European funds pending these anti-corruption measures. The EU is still withholding Hungary’s post-Covid recovery plan, not far from 6 billion euros, again for breach of the rule of law.
In the showdown, Viktor Orban has a weapon, the veto. In addition to Stockholm and Helsinki’s candidacy for NATO, the Prime Minister is blocking the reform of the taxation of multinationals, new sanctions against Russia or even the Ukraine aid plan proposed by the European Commission, 18 billion euros for 2023 in the form of a loan.
To listen also: Accents of Europe – Viktor Orban’s pro-Russian campaign