Viktor Orban launches a new anti-European Union national consultation: 11 questions aimed ahead of the European election next June.
Kick-off in Hungary of a new national consultation to “defend the sovereignty” of the country.
Hungarians are invited to respond to eleven questions directed against the European Union.
The Hungarian opposition denounces the biased nature of the questions and a maneuver to support Viktor Orban’s political agenda.
The Prime Minister says he hopes to receive a blank check for his policies in order to “stand firm” in his battle with Brussels.
Gergely Rajnai, Political Scientist, Corvinus University: “This communication campaign clearly aims to show that it is the European Union which is preventing things from going well in Hungary. There is an inflation crisis everywhere, especially in Hungary , and there are other problems too. Obviously, every government wants to deflect these problems from itself, and the Hungarian government is trying to blame the European Union, among others.“
Among the questions asked, “Brussels wants to reestablish migrant ghettos in Hungary. What do you think?”
A poster campaign also accuses the President of the European Commission of being linked to the Open Society Foundations of Georges Soros, the bête noire of Viktor Orban.
Brussels denies this and says it is counting on the common sense of the Hungarians.
Eric Mamer, spokesperson for the European Commission: “We believe in the intelligence of the Hungarian public, of the approximately 10 million Hungarian citizens who live not only in Hungary, but also in the European Union. We are quite sure that they can form their own opinion based on the objective information we provide.”
In 2022, the Hungarian government launched a consultation on EU sanctions against Russia.
Victor Orban assured that 97% of Hungarians were opposed to sanctions.
At the end of the European election next June, Hungary will hold the presidency of the Council of the European Union from July 1 to December 31, 2024.