Orban, calls for "change" in the EU parliament

2024-10-09 10:19:35, Kosova & Bota CNA

Orban, calls for "change" in the EU parliament

The nationalist leader of Hungary, Viktor Orban

The nationalist leader of Hungary, Viktor Orban, called for "change" in the European Union, in a speech held on October 9 in the parliament of the European bloc. His speech was accompanied by protests about democratic backsliding in Hungary.

"The EU must change, and I would like to convince you of this today," said the far-right prime minister in Strasbourg, where he went to present the "priorities" of the Hungarian EU presidency.

Orban said this is the "most serious period" in the EU's history, with the war in Ukraine, the escalating conflict in the Middle East and a "migration crisis" that he said could cause the "destruction" of the EU's border system. open in Schengen.

"Our Union needs to change, and the presidency wants to be the catalyst for that change," he said.

As Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest ally within the European Union, Orbán's nationalist government is at odds with its partners on a range of issues — from freezing aid to Kiev to passing a series of laws that the bloc sees as as democratic backwardness.

Orbán's speech to parliament, where European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was also present, has been postponed twice and is now taking place in the middle of Budapest's presidential term.

EU lawmakers vowed to hold Orbán accountable, with Hungarian opposition leader-turned-MEP Peter Magyar one of the next speakers and protests taking place throughout Orbán's speech.

"No money for the corrupt," read a placard held by left-wing lawmakers, in reference to billions of euros in funds that have been frozen for Hungary due to concerns over the rule of law.

A raucous rendition of the anti-fascist anthem "Bella Ciao" rang out as he finished his speech, prompting a call to order from parliament president Roberta Metsola, who said: "This is not Eurovision."

When Hungary took over the EU's six-month presidency in July, Orban went off script: he launched an uncoordinated "peace mission" to Ukraine in Kiev, Moscow and Beijing that left leaders in Brussels worried.

In response, von der Leyen ordered senior officials to skip a series of meetings organized by the Hungarian presidency, in an unprecedented de facto boycott.

Since returning to lead his country in 2010, Orban has taken steps to curtail civil rights and tighten his grip on power, repeatedly clashing with Brussels over rule of law issues.

But Orban has pointed to far-right electoral gains from Italy to the Netherlands and Austria - and the growing influence of a new Hungarian-led group in the EU parliament, Patriots for Europe - as evidence that the political climate in Europe it is changing./ REL