Hungary will veto Finland's and Sweden's NATO accession?

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán noted in a today morning interview that the government has asked parliament to support Sweden’s and Finland’s applications for NATO membership. He added, however, that “some deputies of the ruling parties are not overly enthusiastic”, because the accession of these Nordic states would mean that the NATO-Russia border will be extended by hundreds of kilometres. Furthermore, “these states spread obvious lies about our democracy and the rule of law here”.

The decision needs a majority, the governing parties have 134 deputies out of the 199, so they will decide about the fate of Stockholm’s and Helsinki’s NATO bid. PM Orbán told public radio on Friday that if Sweden and Finland “expect Hungary to be fair and agree to their NATO accession, then those countries must also be fair and stop spreading false information about Hungary.” Orbán said Türkiye was concerned about “Sweden harbouring terrorist organisations” opposed to Türkiye, which was “also an ally whom we must listen to”.

Meanwhile, the parliamentary group of the ruling Fidesz and Christian Democrat parties have asked the speaker of Hungarian parliament to send a delegation to Sweden and Finland for coordination talks regarding the NATO membership of the two countries, Fidesz group leader Máté Kocsis said on Thursday.

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Prime Minister Viktor Orbán asked the ruling lawmakers to back Sweden and Finland’s membership of the alliance, though opinions on the matter were divided at their meeting Balatonfüred, in western Hungary, Kocsis told a press conference.

“A serious debate developed, with several lawmakers making a point that politicians of Sweden and Finland had crudely and baselessly offended Hungary … over the past few years, and they are now asking a favour,” he said. Kocsis said the move would fall into the course of normal parliamentary proceedings and it would not entail an extension of these. No postponement of the decision by parliament is expected, he added. According to napi.hu, the Hungarian parliament will decide in the matter on 1 March, the third day of the spring season starting next Monday.

Read also Hungary will veto Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO accession?

Source: MTI, napi.hu