Orbán heads to Georgia amidst EU disapproval over election controversy - Politico
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (Photo: Getty Images)
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is set to visit Georgia today, October 28, to "celebrate contested vote." The visit comes amid accusations of significant violations during the parliamentary election, Politico reports.
According to Politico, Orbán is expected to meet with Georgia’s Prime Minister, lending legitimacy to a government accused of election fraud in the parliamentary vote.
This past Sunday, Brussels raised concerns over serious irregularities in the nationwide voting process, during which the ruling party, Georgian Dream, attacked "Western influence" and threatened to ban opposition parties.
Orbán preemptively congratulated Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and the ruling party on their "overwhelming victory" even before the official results were announced.
He will be accompanied by:
- Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s Foreign Minister;
- Márton Nagy, Minister of Economy;
- Mihály Varga, Minister of Finance.
Politico notes that the visit further highlights the stark differences in foreign policy between Orbán's Hungary, which is currently holding the rotating EU Council presidency, and other EU nations.
Orbán's summer tour
In early July, Orbán visited Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During talks, Orban proposed initiating ceasefire negotiations. Shortly after his Kyiv visit, the Hungarian Prime Minister traveled to Moscow, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, discussing matters related to the war in Ukraine.
Later, Orbán visited China, where talks also focused on the situation surrounding Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The European Union noted Orbán’s diplomatic tour and stressed that despite Hungary's temporary EU presidency, he does not have the authority to negotiate with Russia on behalf of the EU.
