Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban delivers his address on the first day of the parliament's autumn session in Budapest, on September 25. EPA
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban delivers his address on the first day of the parliament's autumn session in Budapest, on September 25. EPA
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban delivers his address on the first day of the parliament's autumn session in Budapest, on September 25. EPA
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban delivers his address on the first day of the parliament's autumn session in Budapest, on September 25. EPA

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Europe

Hungary PM Orban says ratifying Sweden's Nato bid not urgent

Prime Minister has repeatedly stated in the past that Hungary supports Sweden's bid

Soraya Ebrahimi
Soraya Ebrahimi

September 25, 2023

  • English
  • Arabic

Ratifying Sweden's Nato bid is not "urgent", Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told Parliament on Monday, accusing the Nordic country of having challenged the country's "democratic nature".

Hungary aligned itself with Turkey, which had long blocked Sweden's membership before lifting its veto in July, and has still not voted to approve the country's entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

Mr Orban has repeatedly stated in the past that Hungary supports Sweden's bid, stressing that it was merely a "technicality".

"I wonder if there is something urgent that would force us to ratify Sweden's Nato bid. I cannot see any such circumstance," he told politicians.

Mr Orban underpinned his remarks by saying that there was "no threat to Sweden's security" and no military relationship with the Nordic country that could be jeopardised.

Budapest has often denounced what it called Stockholm's "open hostile attitude", accusing Swedish representatives of being "repeatedly keen to bash Hungary" on rule-of-law issues.

In recent weeks, criticism increased after a video from 2019 resurfaced that allegedly shows the democratic decline in Hungary.

Nato through the years - in pictures

British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin signs the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington on April 4, 1949. All photos: Getty
British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin signs the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington on April 4, 1949. All photos: Getty
The North Atlantic Treaty showing the signatures of the foreign secretaries and ambassadors of the original signing nations - Belgium, Britain, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and the US
The North Atlantic Treaty showing the signatures of the foreign secretaries and ambassadors of the original signing nations - Belgium, Britain, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and the US
A meeting of the North Atlantic Council deputies in 1951 in London, attended by Gen Dwight D Eisenhower, centre
A meeting of the North Atlantic Council deputies in 1951 in London, attended by Gen Dwight D Eisenhower, centre
Lord Hastings Lionel Ismay, Secretary General of Nato, with the newly adopted Nato emblem in 1952
Lord Hastings Lionel Ismay, Secretary General of Nato, with the newly adopted Nato emblem in 1952
Belgian Foreign Minister Paul-Henri Spaak holds a press conference in Paris after taking over from Hastings Ismay as Nato chief in 1956
Belgian Foreign Minister Paul-Henri Spaak holds a press conference in Paris after taking over from Hastings Ismay as Nato chief in 1956
The opening speech at the Nato summit in Paris in 1957
The opening speech at the Nato summit in Paris in 1957
Some of the Nato vessels gathered for Exercise Medflex Invicta in Malta in 1961
Some of the Nato vessels gathered for Exercise Medflex Invicta in Malta in 1961
A McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II fighter-bomber of the Royal Navy is launched from HMS Ark Royal during a Nato exercise in 1972
A McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II fighter-bomber of the Royal Navy is launched from HMS Ark Royal during a Nato exercise in 1972
German Nato troops on manoeuvres in 1980
German Nato troops on manoeuvres in 1980
Lord Carrington, the new Secretary General of Nato, sits behind his desk in Brussels, Belgium, in 1984
Lord Carrington, the new Secretary General of Nato, sits behind his desk in Brussels, Belgium, in 1984
A US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle refuels in the skies over Macedonia in 1999, as it flies missions in support of Nato Operation Allied Force
A US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle refuels in the skies over Macedonia in 1999, as it flies missions in support of Nato Operation Allied Force
Frigates, part of the Nato permanent fleet based in the Mediterranean Sea, enter the port of Piraeus, Greece, in 2003
Frigates, part of the Nato permanent fleet based in the Mediterranean Sea, enter the port of Piraeus, Greece, in 2003
US President George W Bush, US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld, ambassador R Nicholas Burns and US Secretary of State Colin Powell attend the Nato summit in 2004 in Istanbul, Turkey
US President George W Bush, US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld, ambassador R Nicholas Burns and US Secretary of State Colin Powell attend the Nato summit in 2004 in Istanbul, Turkey
Members of the military attend a commemoration for Nato soldiers during the 2009 summit in Kehl, Germany
Members of the military attend a commemoration for Nato soldiers during the 2009 summit in Kehl, Germany
A protester throws a stone during clashes at the Nato summit in 2009 in Strasbourg, France
A protester throws a stone during clashes at the Nato summit in 2009 in Strasbourg, France
A Polish soldier sits in a tank as a Nato flag flies behind during military exercises in Zagan, Poland, in 2015
A Polish soldier sits in a tank as a Nato flag flies behind during military exercises in Zagan, Poland, in 2015
Guests depart after attending the opening ceremony at the 2018 Nato summit in Brussels
Guests depart after attending the opening ceremony at the 2018 Nato summit in Brussels
Nato leaders listen to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson while attending the summit in 2019 in Watford, England
Nato leaders listen to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson while attending the summit in 2019 in Watford, England
Soldiers from the Royal Welsh Battlegroup take part in manoeuvres during a Nato exercise on the Estonian-Latvian border in 2022 in Voru, Estonia
Soldiers from the Royal Welsh Battlegroup take part in manoeuvres during a Nato exercise on the Estonian-Latvian border in 2022 in Voru, Estonia
Secretary General of Nato Jens Stoltenberg meets troops at the Tapa Army Base in 2022 in Tallinn, Estonia
Secretary General of Nato Jens Stoltenberg meets troops at the Tapa Army Base in 2022 in Tallinn, Estonia
Polish soldiers hold a Nato flag in 2022 at a training ground in Orzysz, Poland
Polish soldiers hold a Nato flag in 2022 at a training ground in Orzysz, Poland
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mr Stoltenberg attend a joint press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, in April 2023
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mr Stoltenberg attend a joint press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, in April 2023

"Serious accusations and fake informations are being spread to students in the schools of Sweden," Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto wrote in a letter sent to his Swedish peer in mid-September.

The video about Hungary being shown in schools "elevates the problem … to the level of international policy, and we will not accept that", Mr Orban said on Monday.

Finland and Sweden ended decades of military non-alignment and decided to join the alliance after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In April, Finland became the 31st member of Nato.

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