Drama in NATO, Hungary does not give the green light for the entry of Sweden and Finland.
High-ranking Hungarian officials have repeatedly, in the last few days, rebuked Sweden and Finland for their governments’ attitude towards official Budapest, stating that “Hungary has been the target of untrue and false accusations” by politicians from those countries in recent years. The Minister of Defense and the Chief of Staff of the Hungarian Prime Minister spoke separately on this issue, revealing what is actually the main stumbling block when it comes to giving the green light for the Nordic countries to join NATO.
Minister of Defense Kristof Salaj-Bobrovnicki, who attended the meeting of defense ministers of European Union member states in Stockholm, had bilateral talks with Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonsson and Finnish Antti Kaikkonen. Salaj-Bobrovnicki emphasized that both meetings were focused on the ratification of the accession of those countries to NATO. He assured his partners that the Hungarian government had supported their countries’ accession from the very beginning, but that Budapest had been the target of “untrue and false accusations by the politicians of these two countries” in recent years.
“Hungary deserves more respect and that is why we would like to be able to engage in political dialogue as trusted partners and allies, once the ratification process is complete”he said.
He pointed out that Hungary’s attitude towards the war in Ukraine remains unchanged and that his government will not contribute to the continuation and escalation of the war, either by sending ammunition or weapons. The parliamentary group of the ruling Fidesz is divided on the question of the membership of Sweden and Finland in NATO, admitted the leader of the Fidesz parliamentary group Mate Kočis. He added that the prime minister asked the parliamentary group to support the membership of Finland and Sweden in NATO, but that the topic met with opposing views of the deputies. Politicians of these two countries have in recent years, as he said, “insulted Hungary in a rude, baseless and often vulgar way, and now they are asking for a favor“.
Gergelj Guljaš, head of the cabinet of the Hungarian Prime Minister, also confirmed that there are divisions on this issue. Although Viktor Orbán has repeatedly expressed Hungary’s readiness to ratify the expansion of NATO to new members, it is obvious that not everyone in the ruling party is enthusiastic about that proposal.
“Some politicians from the ruling party are seeking assurances from the two new Scandinavian candidates for NATO that politically motivated attacks will stop when they join the defense alliance. Some government politicians seem reluctant to write a blank check for the new candidates, due to the fact that the governments of both countries have shown quite animosity towards Budapest in recent years,” says Guljaš. At the same time, he reminds that NATO is a defense alliance, with the belief that the new expansion will further strengthen it.
“At the same time, the risks are increasing, especially when it comes to Finland. By allowing them to join, the Hungarians give a guarantee that these countries will be protected by Hungarian soldiers if necessary. If we give them such a guarantee, we expect an answer to the question of why they have regularly maligned by Swedish and Finnish politicians,” he said. Asked about the debate in the Fidesz parliamentary group on the ratification of Finnish and Swedish membership in NATO, Guljaš added that the group stated that Hungary was often criticized in Sweden and Finland and that these attacks were “completely unfounded, unfair and unjust”. . Moreover, he continued, the Swedish and Finnish judicial systems contain “fewer elements that guarantee the rule of law than the Hungarian one”.
He said that the media policy in the Scandinavian countries does not meet the high standards set for Hungary, adding that he means the lack of conservative-oriented media in the two Nordic countries and the monopoly of left-wing media giants. He also noted that Sweden and Finland do not have the kind of control-appeal instances that have existed in the Hungarian judicial system for decades. “First of all, we expect both countries to show more respect for Hungary,” said Minister Gergelj Guljaš.
Finnish Prime Minister Sana Marin is especially active in criticizing Prime Minister Orban’s government. After several negative statements at the expense of official Budapest, she accused Hungary on “Twitter” last November of trying to get withheld EU funds by delaying the ratification of the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO. In response, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that Hungary has never connected these two issues and will not do so in the future.
The issue of the candidacy of Finland and Sweden for NATO membership has been pending in the Hungarian parliament for seven months, and apart from Hungary, only Turkey has not yet approved the entry of the two countries into the Western military alliance.
(WORLD/Political)