Hungarian Prime Minister Orban sees EU as greater threat ahead of elections

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to Receive US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday

Hungary’s Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, will host US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at his office on Sunday. The visit comes as the country prepares for upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for April 12.

In his annual state-of-the-nation speech on Saturday, Orban stated that Hungary should be concerned about the European Union more than Russia. He also pledged to remove what he described as “the foreign influence that limits our sovereignty” from the EU’s policies.

Orban compared the EU to the Soviet regime that dominated Hungary for decades in the past century. Since returning to power in 2010, Orban has been critical of liberal forces and has implemented measures to restrict immigration.

On Friday, US President Donald Trump posted a new endorsement of Orban on his Truth Social platform, stating that he is a “truly strong and powerful leader with a proven track record of delivering phenomenal results”.

The visit by Rubio marks the first time a US Secretary of State will meet with Orban. Rubio will also hold talks with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico during his stopover in Slovakia.

Orban has been critical of opposition parties, including Tisza Party leader Peter Magyar, who is leading the polls ahead of the elections. The prime minister has portrayed Magyar as a “Brussels puppet” and warned that his party would drag Hungary into conflict with Ukraine if elected.

Source: Al Jazeera