Ursula von der Leyen clashes with Viktor Orban in heated debate in EU Parliament
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen clashed with Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban during a debate on Hungary's EU presidency in the European Parliament on Wednesday.
Orban came to discuss the priorities of his presidency, which runs until the end of the year. At a press conference on Tuesday, the Hungarian prime minister had already called for a ceasefire in Ukraine, an opt-out from EU migration rules and promised that his country would help people granted asylum in Hungary to travel to Brussels.
On Wednesday, the Hungarian prime minister again painted a particularly pessimistic picture of the EU, which he said was facing the biggest challenges in its history over industrial competitiveness, migration and agricultural policy. "Our Union must change and the presidency must be the catalyst for this change," he said.
Von der Leyen responds
Orban's comments did not go down well in the European Parliament, not least with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.
Von der Leyen criticised Orban's stance on the war in Ukraine, comparing it to Hungary's situation during the Cold War. "Some blame the war not on Putin's hunger for power, but on Ukraine's hunger for freedom. Do they also blame the Hungarians for the Soviet invasion in 1956?"
Moreover, while Orban addressed the lack of competitiveness of European industry, von der Leyen accused his government of discriminating against European companies itself. "Investors no longer have confidence in Hungary at a time when Hungary's GDP per capita is lower than that of its Central European neighbours," she added.
"Investors no longer have confidence in Hungary"
In addition, the Commission president said that Hungary, while advocating a tough migration policy, released convicted human smugglers and traffickers from its prisons last year. She also described Hungary's visa regime for Russian citizens as a security risk and the outsourcing of police duties to Chinese officers as "opening the back door to foreign interference".
Critical voices
Von der Leyen received a standing ovation for her rebuttals, but she was not the only one to vehemently criticise Orban. The leader of the European People's Party (EPP), Manfred Weber, said he could not understand how Orban could "collaborate with the occupier". "You are not welcome here," added Terry Reintke, co-president of the Green fraction. "This is the home of democracy, not of corruption, lies, propaganda and autocracy."
"This is the home of democracy, not of corruption, lies, propaganda and autocracy"
Orban reacted angrily to the widespread criticism from MEPs. He said there is a "political intifada against Hungary". He dismissed any criticism of his policies as "left-wing propaganda", while accusing Weber of being a "Hungarophobe".
PHOTO © FREDERICK FLORIN / AFP
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