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Hungary’s NATO allies are turning up the pressure on Prime Minister Viktor Orban to swiftly approve Sweden’s accession to the alliance, after lawmakers from his party refused to vote on the issue this week in parliament. Sweden applied to join in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine – but Hungary has repeatedly delayed ratification, as Henry Ridgwell reports from Budapest.
Content TypePackage
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/ScriptHUNGARY SWEDEN NATO
HEADLINE: NATO Allies Pressure Hungary for Blocking Sweden’s Accession
TEASER: Chair of US Senate Foreign Relations Committee suggests sanctions, travel bans on Hungary
PUBLISHED AT: 02/07/2024 at 8:23P
BYLINE: Henry Ridgwell
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Budapest, Hungary
VIDEOGRAPHER: Ancsin Gábor
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Reifenrath, Baragona, DJ (ok)
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, APTN, Reuters, AFP
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB _X_ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT: 3:05
VID APPROVED BY: Reifenrath
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES: ))
((INTRO))
[[Hungary’s NATO allies are turning up the pressure on Prime Minister Viktor Orban to swiftly approve Sweden’s accession to the alliance, after lawmakers from his party refused to vote on the issue this week in parliament. Sweden applied to join in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine – but Hungary has repeatedly delayed ratification, as Henry Ridgwell reports from Budapest.]]
((NARRATOR))
Hungary has been a member of NATO for 25 years. It’s the only country blocking Sweden’s accession to the alliance.
Hungary’s parliament is currently on recess – but opposition MPs convened an extraordinary session Monday to vote on Sweden’s NATO bid. However, lawmakers from the ruling Fidesz [Fih-dez] party under Prime Minister Viktor Orban refused to attend.
Tompos Marton was among the opposition lawmakers pushing for the vote.
((Tompos Marton, Momentum Party MP (in English) ))
“On the one hand, we could say that it’s a miscalculation, they [Fidesz] just didn’t catch the flow, didn’t understand the situation. On the other hand, there are also understandings that the only person who benefits from this is [Russian President] Vladimir Putin. And Mr. Orban has done a few favors for him already. And why not another one?”
((NARRATOR))
Hungary’s NATO allies are turning up the pressure. U.S. Ambassador David Pressman spoke after observing Monday’s session of parliament.
((David Pressman, US Ambassador to Hungary))
“The prime minister (Viktor Orban) pledged to convene parliament to urge parliament to act at its earliest opportunity. Today was an opportunity to do that, and we look forward to watching this closely and to Hungary acting expeditiously.”
((NARRATOR))
U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said earlier this month that Hungary was ‘the least reliable’ NATO ally – and that Washington should consider sanctions and travel restrictions.
Germany said Tuesday that Hungary’s approval of Sweden’s accession was a ‘matter of loyalty’ to the NATO alliance.
Orban has made no specific demand – but has indicated displeasure with Sweden over its criticism of democratic backsliding in Hungary.
Orban says his Fidesz MPs want the Swedish prime minister to visit Budapest before they approve his country’s NATO membership.
((OPT OUT))
((FOR RADIO: Gergely Gulyas, [GER-gey Goo-yash ] the Hungarian Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, says if it is important to the Swedes, they will come to Budapest. Or, he added, at least they will take steps that will lead the Hungarian MPs to vote for the accession with good hearts.))
((Gergely Gulyas, Hungarian Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff (male, in Hungarian) ))
“If it is important for the Swedes, then obviously they will come to Budapest. Or at least they will take steps that will lead the Hungarian MPs to vote for the accession with good hearts.”
((NARRATOR))
Sweden’s prime minister has said he will visit Budapest – but only after the vote – and that the two issues should not be linked.
((OPT IN))
((FOR RADIO: Peter Kreko is an analyst at the Political Capital think tank in Budapest.))
((Peter Kreko, Analyst at Political Capital (in English) ))
“Fidesz and Orban maneuvered themselves into a dead end. And they do not seem to be able to correct the mistake because right now I think they put themselves in the center of attention to an extent that it’s just more difficult to leave this situation without a face loss (loss of face). I do think Orban will not let this situation go until he receives some kind of public recognition.”
((VIDEO: REPORTER STAND-UP / AGENCY FOOTAGE OF HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENT))
((NARRATOR)) // ((Henry Ridgwell, VOA News))
Hungary’s parliament is due to return from recess on February 26th. But it’s not clear if – or when – a vote on Sweden’s accession to NATO will take place.
((Henry Ridgwell, VOA News, Budapest.))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
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NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)
Budapest
Embargo DateFebruary 7, 2024 20:40 EST
Byline
Henry Ridgwell, VOA News
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
