Opposition parties comment Putin-Orbán talks

Budapest (MTI) – Hungarian leftist and liberal opposition parties criticised the government for giving up principled resistance to Russia’s assertion of its interests in the region all for the sake of energy deals and economic cooperation, while Jobbik party slammed it for failing to stand up to the European Union on the issue of sanctions against Russia.

Jobbik

Jobbik party welcomed Putin’s visit but accused Orbán of dishonesty by insisting that the imposition of European Union sanctions against Russia had been out of Hungary’s hands. Jobbik lawmaker Márton Gyöngyösi argued that in Brussels Orbán had continually voted to extend the sanctions, while Jobbik’s standpoint was they were contrary to Hungary’s national interests. Gyöngyösi said the sanctions had caused billions of euros worth of losses to Hungary’s economy, notably in the farming sector.

Socialists

Hungary and Russia can be friends, the opposition Socialists said on Thursday, commenting on talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. “We must be able to cooperate but on new foundations,” Socialist leader Gyula Molnár told a press conference.

“Opening to the East should not go together with shutting off the West,” Molnár said. If any European state lets Russia too close, it could easily end up like Ukraine, he added.

Commenting on Orbán, he said the same man who “chased the Russians away” 28 years ago was now “letting them return straight to the cash till”.

The world changed in 2016 and 2017 and in this situation it would be the wrong decision and a “sinful step” to break away from the “strong alliance” of the European Union. In recent decades, Hungary has become part of that alliance and “it should continue finding its place in this alliance”, Molnár said.

Democratic Coalition

Opposition Democratic Coalition leader Ferenc Gyurcsány called for Hungary to stand by Europe, “which Russia threatens”, amid the current global political transformation.

Speaking at a press conference after the talks, he said that back in 2007 Orbán had said Hungary could only expect subordination and dependence by turning eastwards.