According to Gergely Gulyás, Viktor Orbán’s chief of staff, the Hungarian parliament could vote on the ratification of Finland’s NATO membership on the sixth of March.
Hungary’s decision to ratify Finland’s NATO membership may be delayed again.
Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán undersecretary Gergely Gulyás said today that the decision is moving to the end of March. The ratification process has been stalled in the Hungarian parliament since July. Initially, ratification was expected already in the fall.
According to the parliamentary calendar, negotiations between parliamentary groups are scheduled to start next week, and the vote could take place on March 6.
According to Gulyás, however, the groups need more time for their mutual negotiations.
– According to the working methods of the Hungarian Parliament, the approval of the legislation takes about four weeks, which means that the Parliament could vote on this in the second half of March.
Orbán has previously expressed his support for the ratification of Finland’s NATO membership. On Friday, however, he expressed for the first time his concern about Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership. Among other things, he has accused both countries of “outright lies” regarding the state of democracy and the rule of law in Hungary.
The ranks of Orbán’s Fidesz party are cracking over membership ratification
Orbán’s Fidesz party has had different views on the acceptance of Finland and Sweden into NATO.
Leader of the Fidesz parliamentary group by Máté Kocsis according to the group, there has been a serious discussion about ratifications. Some of the Fidesz MPs believe that accepting Finland and Sweden into NATO could mean an expansion of the war in Ukraine.
According to several MPs of the group, Finnish and Swedish politicians have insulted Hungary in a harsh and rude way – and now they are asking Hungary for a favor.
Kocsis says that he has asked the Speaker of the Parliament to send a delegation to Finland and Sweden to investigate the concerns of MPs.
Kocsis did not say at the press conference how many Fidesz MPs hesitated or opposed the ratification of Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO membership.
Source: Reuters