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Transcript/Script((PLAYBOOK SLUG: SWEDEN NATO HUNGARY (TV)
HEADLINE: Pressure Grows on Hungary to Approve Sweden’s NATO Bid
TEASER: Hungarian and Swedish leaders due to meet in Brussels on Thursday
PUBLISHED AT: 01/30/2024 2:15pm
BYLINE: Henry Ridgwell
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: London
VIDEOGRAPHER: Henry Ridgwell
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: LR, MAS,
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, APTN, Reuters, AFP
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB _X_ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT: 2:45
VID APPROVED BY: MAS
TYPE: TV/R
EDITOR NOTES: ))
((INTRO)) [[Pressure is growing on Hungary to approve Sweden’s accession to NATO, the last member state yet to ratify its application. As Henry Ridgwell reports from London, the Hungarian and Swedish prime ministers are due to meet on the side-lines of a European Union summit in Brussels on Thursday.]]
((NARRATOR))
Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO in May 2022 – three months after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Finland joined last year. But Sweden is still waiting - with Hungary the last NATO member state yet to ratify its accession, after Turkey gave its approval earlier this month.
Speaking Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Budapest to act quickly.
((Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State))
“Sweden brings tremendous capabilities to the alliance in every domain. Hungary now will have to act in order to complete the process, Sweden's accession. But I fully anticipate that will happen in the weeks ahead when Hungary's parliament returns.”
((NARRATOR))
Hungarian lawmakers from Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party have repeatedly stalled voting on Sweden’s NATO bid.
Last week, Orban said he now supported Sweden’s accession – and that MPs would vote on the matter when they reconvene in February. Opposition MPs on Monday demanded an extraordinary session of parliament.
But the parliament speaker – a founder member of Fidesz - said he saw 'no urgency' in holding a vote. Senior Fidesz MPs have voiced anger at Sweden for criticizing a backsliding of democracy in Hungary.
((RADIO VERSION: Balazs Orban, who is Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s political director, told Hungarian television last week that ‘the way that the Swedish political elite has been attacking Hungary for the last ten years creates a basis for Hungary to ask for further political consultations from the Swedes, since this is about us getting committed to a joint military alliance.’))
((Balazs Orban, Hungarian Prime Minister’s Political Director – MALE IN HUNGARIAN))
“The way that the Swedish political elite has been attacking Hungary for the last ten years regarding several measures, creates a basis for us to ask for further political consultations from the Swedes, since this is about us getting committed to a joint military alliance.”
((NARRATOR))
Hungary is trying to flex diplomatic muscle, says analyst Zoltan Pogatsa.
((Zoltan Pogatsa, Political Analyst at University of West Hungary - in English))
“I think Viktor Orban wants to remind Western countries every now and then: 'don't criticize us because we do have cards, we are not sitting at the table without cards, we
do have our cards. So be careful when you try to criticize us for corruption, for rule of law issues, or the quality of our democracy.”
((NARRATOR))
Sweden’s prime minister last week refused an invitation from Orban to begin negotiations in Budapest on its NATO application. The two leaders are due to meet at a European Union summit in Brussels Thursday.
Meanwhile, Russia said this month it would take ‘retaliatory measures’ if Sweden joins the alliance.
((Henry Ridgwell, VOA News, London.))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateJanuary 30, 2024 14:03 EST
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English, US Agency for Global Media
