MEP Freund: Merkel held a protective hand over Orbán

“I’ve seen how Orbán ovar the last 10 years has transformed Hungary into a kleptocratic state” says Daniel Freund, MEP from the Group of the Greens / European Free Alliance, who spoke about corruption, democracy and the rule of law in Hungary, the leader of the CDU and the challenges facing the European Union in the coming years.

According to Central European Affairs, before Freund became an MEP in 2019, he worked for Transparency International, so he was already aware of the “massive” corruption surrounding Viktor Orbán and his government.

In his opinion, “it is a one man show that serves sustain his power and enrich his close friends and family”. 

He claims that most of the EU funds and the money of Hungarian taxpayers are being stolen.

“Probably about a billion euro a year is robbed, therefore it is an enormous issue that we have to solve.”

Fidesz is still a member of the European People’s Party, yet the Green Party politician sees a kind of “shift” in this issue. Within the People’s Party, 14 member parties are currently demanding the removal of Fidesz. The German member parties, the CDU and the CSU, “play a key role” in this. If there was a shift in their position, the game would “change” for them.