https://sputnikglobe.com/20230407/sweden-hungary-ties-at-a-low-amid-stockholms-nato-bid-orban-aide-warns-1109229166.html
Sweden-Hungary Ties at a Low Amid Stockholm's NATO Bid, Orban Aide Warns
Sweden-Hungary Ties at a Low Amid Stockholm's NATO Bid, Orban Aide Warns
Sputnik International
Despite applying to NATO jointly, Stockholm and Helsinki ultimately drifted apart, as Finland is already a member, while Sweden's bid remains bogged down by problems.
2023-04-07T06:11+0000
2023-04-07T06:11+0000
2023-04-12T17:05+0000
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Relations between Sweden and Hungary are at a low, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff Gergely Gulyas has warned, calling on Stockholm to take steps to boost Budapest's confidence to gain acceptance for its NATO bid, which is still under consideration.Sweden and neighboring Finland filed a joint bid to join the US-led bloc last year, putting behind decades of formal non-alignment and originally intending to "walk the NATO path" together. However, as Sweden's application was held up by alliance members Turkiye and Hungary, Helsinki decided to proceed on its own, ultimately becoming the bloc's 31st member earlier this week.Budapest in particular has voiced grievances over Stockholm's criticism of Hungarian democracy and the rule of law and what it interprets as "insults" against Prime Minister Victor Orban, Hungarian politicians in general, and the country as a whole. Orban has personally accused both Nordic countries of spreading "outright lies" about the state of democracy in Hungary.Orban's chief of staff has largely reiterated the ruling party's concerns over Sweden's NATO bid. According to Gulyas, Budapest's concerns were aggravated by Sweden and Finland recently backing a lawsuit brought against Hungary by the European Commission over what it labeled the "anti-LGBT" law. In 2022, the Hungarian law banned the use of materials seen as promoting homosexuality and gender change in schools. The Commission, however, claimed it violates the EU's internal market rules and the fundamental rights of individuals, as well as common EU values.Hungary's ratification process has been stranded in parliament for months, with Orban and the ruling party stressing that questioning the democratic nature of the Hungarian political system was "unacceptable."NATO and US officials have been actively pushing both Ankara and Budapest to accept Sweden's bid. Tellingly, while welcoming Finland's entry, US President Joe Biden urged Turkiye and Hungary to conclude their ratification processes for Sweden "without delay".At the same time, even regardless of disagreements over Sweden's NATO bid, Hungary is in the midst of a lengthy tiff with the EU. Among others, Brussels has frozen billions earmarked for Budapest and accused Orban's government of undermining the EU's fundamental values, eroding media freedom and indulging in authoritarian tendencies. In one of its resolutions, the European Parliament even labeled Hungary a "hybrid regime of electoral autocracy."Hungary, which borders Ukraine and has a sizable Hungarian minority in the Transcarpathia region of the country, has also deviated from the EU in its response to the Ukrainian conflict. Among others, Budapest has stopped weapons deliveries to Kiev from its territory, repeatedly blocked some of the sanctions against Russia and struck energy deals with Moscow.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230406/turkish-foreign-minister-likens-sweden-to-nazi-germany-over-quran-burning-verdict-1109185529.html
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Sweden-Hungary Ties at a Low Amid Stockholm's NATO Bid, Orban Aide Warns
06:11 GMT 07.04.2023 (Updated: 17:05 GMT 12.04.2023) Despite applying to NATO jointly and voicing plans to be ushered into the alliance together, Stockholm and Helsinki ultimately drifted apart, as Finland has already become a member, whereas Sweden's bid remains bogged down by problems.
Relations between Sweden and Hungary are at a low, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff Gergely Gulyas has warned, calling on Stockholm to take steps to boost Budapest's confidence to gain acceptance for its NATO bid, which is still under consideration.
Sweden and neighboring Finland filed a joint bid to join the US-led bloc last year, putting behind decades of formal non-alignment and originally intending to "walk the NATO path" together. However, as Sweden's application was
held up by alliance members Turkiye and Hungary, Helsinki decided to proceed on its own, ultimately becoming the bloc's 31st member earlier this week.
Budapest in particular has voiced grievances over Stockholm's criticism of Hungarian democracy and the rule of law and what it interprets as "
insults" against Prime Minister Victor Orban, Hungarian politicians in general, and the country as a whole. Orban has personally accused both Nordic countries of spreading "outright lies" about the state of democracy in Hungary.
Orban's chief of staff has largely reiterated the ruling party's concerns over Sweden's NATO bid. According to Gulyas, Budapest's concerns were aggravated by Sweden and Finland recently backing a lawsuit brought against Hungary by the European Commission over what it labeled the "anti-LGBT" law. In 2022, the Hungarian law banned the use of materials seen as promoting homosexuality and gender change in schools. The Commission, however, claimed it violates the EU's internal market rules and the fundamental rights of individuals, as well as common EU values.
"Current Sweden-Hungary relations, also because of this intervention on the side of the Commission, are at a low point, and steps to boost confidence are needed," Gulyas told media. "In such a situation, NATO unity is of paramount importance and it is not helpful if we import bilateral debates into NATO."
Hungary's ratification process has been stranded in parliament for months, with Orban and the ruling party stressing that questioning the democratic nature of the Hungarian political system was "unacceptable."
NATO and US officials have been actively pushing both Ankara and Budapest to accept Sweden's bid. Tellingly, while welcoming Finland's entry, US President Joe Biden urged Turkiye and Hungary to conclude their ratification processes for Sweden "without delay".
At the same time, even regardless of disagreements over Sweden's NATO bid, Hungary is in the midst of a lengthy tiff with the EU. Among others, Brussels has frozen billions earmarked for Budapest and accused Orban's government of undermining the EU's fundamental values, eroding media freedom and indulging in authoritarian tendencies. In one of its resolutions, the European Parliament even labeled Hungary a "hybrid regime of electoral autocracy."
Hungary, which borders Ukraine and has a sizable Hungarian minority in the Transcarpathia region of the country, has also
deviated from the EU in its response to the Ukrainian conflict. Among others, Budapest has stopped
weapons deliveries to Kiev from its territory, repeatedly blocked some of the sanctions against Russia and struck energy deals with Moscow.
