By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
STRASBOURG/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Hungary’s fiercely anti-migration prime minister lashed out at the European Union during a tense news conference interrupted by a furious activist and politician.
Viktor Orbán, who tightly controls media at home, appeared visibly shocked when Márton Gyekiczki interrupted him as he spoke about his opposition to immigration.
Gyekiczki, a municipal councilor and member of the opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) party’s youth movement, ran toward the podium where Orbán sat.
He then threw a stack of what appeared to be banknotes at the prime minister. “How much did you sell out the country for? How much did you sell out the country for, Mr. Prime Minister?” Gyekiczki yelled as the papers scattered. “He sold out to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, he sold out to [Chinese President] Xi Jinping!” He was soon pushed to the ground by bodyguards and moved out of the press room.
Orbán responded that “in Hungary’s culture, calling each other a traitor basically means that we disagree with each other.
The DK president, former Prime Minister Ference Gyurcsány, later wrote on social media that he was “proud” of Gyekiczki for his actions. “We will say it everywhere and always: Hungary has a traitorous government!” he added.
The disruption during a press briefing in Strasbourg, France, came as Orbán was set to address the European Parliament there on Wednesday during Hungary’s six-month rotating presidency of the bloc.
UNDER FIRE
His government has long been at odds with the EU over what it sees as his curtailing of democratic rights and press freedom. A Worthy News reporter and several other journalists remain on the government’s blacklist for reports questioning policies.
Orbán has increasingly come under fire for his close relations with autocracies like Russia and China, although his government also supports persecuted Christians.
He was due to receive a mixed reception in the EU parliament on Wednesday.
Many lawmakers there pushed for his government to be deprived of billions in EU funds over what they see as rule-of-law and corruption violations.
Billions of euros (dollars) from the EU and Hungarian taxpayers were given to companies run by political allies, friends, and family members of Orbán, according to EU officials and investigative reporters.
Two years ago, the parliament declared that Hungary under Orbán had become “a hybrid regime of electoral autocracy,” removing it from the community of democracies.
Yet Orbán successfully formed the Patriots for Europe group within the parliament this year, uniting eurosceptic right-wing parties from around the continent to create the third-largest group in the EU legislature.
EU ECONOMY
Speaking to reporters in the French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday, Orbán condemned what he sees as a declining EU economy and lagging competitiveness with the United States and China. He called that “the most serious challenge we have to face.”
Orbán also said he would open a bottle of champagne when former U.S. President Donald J. Trump returns to the White House after the November 5 elections.
Several days later, he wants to host an informal EU summit as Hungary has the rotating EU presidency.
The gathering in Hungary will focus on making a pact on improving the EU’s competitiveness.
He noted that Europeans pay up to five times more for electricity and natural gas than their American counterparts, partly due to boycotting Russia.
The West wants to punish Russia with energy sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, “but we want a ceasefire,” Orbán suggested.
Adding to his concern are reports that several members of the 150,000 ethnic Hungarians living in western Ukraine have been killed or injured while fighting.
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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