Hungarian official: ’We cannot count on Brussels’

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s response to a letter urging the EU to change its policy of sanctions against Russia and also unlock EU funding for Hungary is “disrespectful, saddening and outrageous”, the head of the Association of Cities with County Rights said on Wednesday.

The letter sent by Károly Szita, who is also the (Fidesz-KDNP) mayor of Kaposvár, in southern Hungary, was attached to a petition signed by over 2,500 Hungarian local councils that make up 80 percent of Hungary’s localities.

Addressing a press conference, Szita said it was “disrespectful” of von der Leyen to take six months to respond, adding that the contents of her letter were “saddening and outrageous” because it “ignores the will of 7 million people and the local councils representing them”.

According to Szita, von der Leyen said Brussels believed the sanctions were good and should be upheld, “and though they understand our concerns over the current high energy prices, we should deal with that problem ourselves”.

“This is more than cynical because we’re not the ones who caused the problem . but it’s the Hungarian citizens living in the cities and villages who suffer the consequences,” Szita said.

“It’s become clear by now that we cannot count on Brussels,” he said, and thanked the Hungarian government for its cooperation and support. The government has supported local councils with tens of billions of forints, allowing them to get through the most difficult months of the energy crisis caused by the sanctions, Szita said.

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