DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

It's the kind of obstruction of key policy objectives for which Orbán has become notorious within the European Union. “We are the sand in the machinery, the stick between the spokes, the splinter under the fingernail,” Orbán said in a speech to tens of thousands of supporters in 2021. Now, frustrated EU officials are trying to determine what Orbán seeks to achieve with his obstructionist strategy, and how they might overcome it. But with his veto power, the nationalist leader will have plenty of further opportunities to sow discord within the EU. Widely considered to be Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest ally in the EU, Orbán has been accused by his critics of promoting Moscow’s interests over those of his EU and NATO allies, and of preparing to lead his country out of the EU entirely.

Persons: —, Viktor Orbán, Orbán, ” Orbán, Donald Tusk, “, ”, Péter Krekó, ” Krekó, “ Orbán, Daniel Freund, Freund, it’s, he's, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, “ He’s, he’s, Krekó, Vladimir Putin’s Organizations: NATO, European Union, EU, Conservative Political, Green, United, U.S, Trump, Germany, Political Locations: BUDAPEST, Hungary, Brussels, Polish, Ukraine, Budapest, Germany, France, Italy, Europe, United States, Washington, Netherlands, Union

☆ NATO Accession Looks to Be 'Not a Priority' for Sweden, Hungary Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Sweden has not done anything to boost confidence in its suitability for NATO membership, and has given the impression that joining the alliance is not a priority for the country, an aide to Hungary's prime minister said on Thursday. Sweden applied to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in May 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine but the accession process, which requires the approval of all existing members, has been held up by Turkey and Hungary. Gulyas suggested that Sweden's foreign minister or prime minister should "get in touch and ask what concerns the Hungarian parliament has" about Sweden's NATO accession. Replying to a reporter's question, he said Hungary wanted to avoid being the last country to ratify Sweden's NATO accession, but "we will probably not manage to do so without Sweden's help. The Turkish parliament's general assembly may debate Sweden's NATO membership bid in the coming weeks, the ruling AK Party's parliamentary group chairman said last week.

Persons: Viktor Orban's, Gulyas, Gergely Szakacs, Anita Komuves, Marie, Alex Richardson Organizations: NATO, Atlantic Treaty Organization, Nordic, Turkish, AK, Marie Mannes Locations: BUDAPEST, Sweden, Ukraine, Turkey, Hungary, Swedish, Moscow, Budapest, Stockholm

☆ US Envoy Slams Hungarian Govt for 'Disregarding' Interests of NATO Allies
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Dec. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - The U.S. envoy to Budapest sharply criticised the Hungarian government on Tuesday for "disregarding" the interests of its NATO allies and strengthening ties with Russia at a time when its allies are isolating it. In a speech at AmCham to U.S. companies that have invested in Hungary, Ambassador David Pressman said Hungary has thrived as a member of the European Union and NATO, allowing companies run successful businesses in the Central European country that joined the EU in 2004. "Yet today, we are increasingly seeing an Ally that relies upon its NATO Allies, but feels comfortable disregarding the interests of those same Allies and our Alliance, including during a time of war in Europe," Pressman said. Sweden's NATO membership is pending ratification byTurkey and Hungary. Budapest opposes Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but Orban has kept up close relations with Moscow - partly due to Hungary's continued energy dependence on Russia.

Persons: David Pressman, Ally, Pressman, Vladimir, Putin, Viktor Orban's, Orban, Orban's, Krisztina, Marguerita Choy Organizations: U.S, NATO, European Union, Central European, EU, NATO Allies, Alliance Locations: BUDAPEST, Budapest, Russia, AmCham, U.S, Hungary, Europe, Ukraine, Washington, Moscow, Turkey

In Hungary, central bank governor Gyorgy Matolcsy is under pressure from Viktor Orban's government to cut rates further ahead of local and European Parliament elections next year. Reuters GraphicsTANGIBLE BENEFITSA 2021 World Bank survey found that political meddling in central bank policy led to sustained periods of high inflation in emerging market economies such as Turkey and Argentina. "Attempts to bring the president of the NBP before the State Tribunal can be directly interpreted as an attack on the independence of the central bank," the spokesman said. How those premia evolve will depend partly on how politics in Poland and Hungary is perceived by investors to influence the central banks in the months to come. "Everything else being equal, the less independent the central bank, the more real yield you need to have to be compensated for the risk," said Arif Joshi at Lazard Asset Management.

Persons: Adam Glapinski, Gyorgy Matolcsy, Viktor Orban's, Donald Tusk's, Karen Vartapetov, Paul Gamble, Glapinski's, Glapinski, Marta Kightley, Orban, Peter Virovacz, Arif Joshi, Karol Badohal, Gergely, Mark John, Toby Chopra Organizations: WARSAW, Law and Justice, U.S . Federal Reserve, EU, Sovereign, Investor, Emerging, Fitch, Local, ING, Lazard Asset Management, Thomson Locations: Hungarian, Poland, Hungary, BUDAPEST, Europe, Turkey, Argentina, WARSAW

☆ Hungary's Ruling Party Submits Bill on 'Protecting National Sovereignty'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's ruling Fidesz party submitted a bill on "protecting national sovereignty" to parliament on Tuesday to defend against what it called undue political interference by foreign persons or groups. The bill would set up a separate authority to explore and monitor risks of political interference and recommend changes in regulations. It would also punish banned foreign financing for parties or groups running for election with up to three years in prison. "Hungary's sovereignty is impaired -- and it also carries a heightened risk to national security -- if political power gets into the hands of persons or organisations dependent on any foreign power, organisation or person," the bill said. Orban, who has a two-thirds majority in parliament that allows Fidesz to change any legislation, scored his fourth landslide victory in 2022.

Persons: Viktor Orban's, Orban, Ursula von der Leyen, Boldizsar Gyori, Josie Kao Organizations: European Union, Communist, Fidesz, EU, Ukraine Locations: BUDAPEST, Hungarian, Hungary

☆ US Is 'Confident' Sweden Will Soon Join NATO - US Envoy to Hungary
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - The United States is "confident" that Sweden will soon be a member of NATO, the U.S. ambassador to Hungary said on Thursday, adding he had been assured by the Hungarian government that Budapest would not be the last to ratify the bid. Relations between Budapest and Washington have soured because of Hungary's foot-dragging over the ratification of Sweden's NATO accession and also over Prime Minister Viktor Orban's warm ties with Moscow despite the war in Ukraine. "I have been repeatedly assured at the senior-most levels of this government that Hungary will not be last to ratify Sweden’s accession to NATO," Ambassador David Pressman said. Sweden's NATO membership is still pending ratification by Turkey and Hungary. Orban's Fidesz was expected to submit the bill to parliament on Tuesday, but it has been delayed.

Persons: Viktor Orban's, David Pressman, Orban, Vladimir Putin's, Pressman, Putin, that's, Krisztina, Gareth Jones Organizations: NATO, Fidesz Locations: BUDAPEST, United States, Sweden, U.S, Hungary, Hungarian, Budapest, Washington, Moscow, Ukraine, Turkey, Russia, Beijing

☆ U.S. says it is 'concerned' about Hungary's relationship with Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Boldizsar Gyori | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Sputnik/Grigory Sysoyev/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsBUDAPEST, Oct 20 (Reuters) - The United States is concerned about Hungary's relationship with Russia, and finds Prime Minister Viktor Orban's decision to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin "troubling", the U.S. Embassy in Budapest said on Friday. He is the only EU leader to attend the forum or to maintain close ties with Putin since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. "The United States is concerned about Hungary’s relationship with Russia," U.S. Orban told Putin during their meeting in Beijing that Hungary never wanted to oppose Russia and was trying to salvage bilateral contacts. Relations between Budapest and Washington have soured in the past year because of Hungary's foot-dragging over the ratification of Sweden's NATO accession.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Viktor Orban, Grigory Sysoyev, Viktor Orban's, Orban, Putin, Hungary David Pressman, Pressman, Balazs Orban, Boldizsar Gyori, Alan Charlish, Gareth Jones Organizations: Hungarian, Forum, Sputnik, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, U.S, Embassy, Putin, NATO, Radio Free, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, United States, Russia, Budapest, Ukraine, Hungary, Sweden, Moscow, Washington, NATO

☆ Thousands join Budapest Pride in protest at state's anti-LGBT moves
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Boldizsar Gyori | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BUDAPEST, July 15 (Reuters) - Thousands of Hungarians braved scorching heat for the annual Pride march in Budapest on Saturday, protesting against government controls over public displays by the LGBT community. "I think the Budapest Pride is really liberating, we can be very proud of it, but I think we are still discriminated in the grey everyday life," designer Danyi Mark. [1/5]People attend the annual Pride march in Budapest, Hungary, July 15, 2023. On Friday, the embassies of the United States, Germany and 36 other countries urged Hungary to protect LGBT rights and scrap discriminatory laws. The government stance towards Hungary's LGBT community was seen as resonating with Orban's conservative voters in the countryside ahead of his fourth-term election win in 2022.

Persons: Viktor Orban's, Gergely Varga, Danyi Mark, Bernadett Szabo, Hungary's, David Pressman, Boldizsar Gyori, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: European Union, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: BUDAPEST, Budapest, Hungary, United States, Germany

Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership last year, abandoning their policies of military non-alignment that had lasted through the decades of the Cold War in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While Finland's NATO membership was green-lighted in April, Turkey and Hungary have yet to clear Sweden's bid. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson react during a meeting, on the eve of a NATO summit, in Vilnius, Lithuania July 10, 2023. "This has been a good day for Sweden," Kristersson told reporters, saying the joint statement on Monday represented "a very big step" toward the final ratification of Sweden's membership of NATO. After Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff said on Thursday that Budapest would now no longer block Sweden's NATO membership ratification, Turkish approval would remove the last hurdle for Swedish accession to NATO, applications for which must be approved by all members.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Sweden's, Erdogan, Jens Stoltenberg, Ulf Kristersson, Yves Herman / Pool Erdogan, Kristersson, Monday, Stoltenberg, Viktor Orban's, Joe Biden, Niklas Pollard, Andrius, Anna Ringstrom, Johan Ahlander, Ezgi, John Irish, William Maclean, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: NATO, Kurdistan Workers Party, EU, REUTERS, European Union, Finland's, Hungarian, Lockheed Martin Corp, Pawlak, Thomson Locations: VILNIUS, Ukraine, Sweden, Finland, Turkey, Hungary, Stockholm, Lithuanian, Vilnius, Swedish, Madrid, Ankara, United States, Lithuania, Turkey's, European, Budapest, Washington, Istanbul

☆ NATO's Stoltenberg says Turkey agrees to move ahead with Sweden's NATO bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

VILNIUS, July 10 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to forward to parliament Sweden's bid to join the NATO military alliance, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday, on the eve of a NATO summit in Vilnius. Stoltenberg declined to give a date for when Sweden's accession would be ratified by the Turkish parliament, the grand national assembly, which would decide on the exact timing. Applications to the alliance must be approved by all NATO members and while Finland's was given the go-ahead in April, Turkey and Hungary have held off on clearing Sweden's bid. Stockholm has been working hard at its bid ahead of the NATO summit in Vilnius, together with the United States and its allies, urging Turkey to abandon its opposition. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff said on Thursday that Budapest would not block Sweden's NATO membership ratification.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Sweden's, Jens Stoltenberg, Erdogan, Stoltenberg, Finland's, Viktor Orban's, John Irish, Sabine Siebold, Johan Ahlander, Anna Ringstrom, Justyna Pawlak, Niklas Pollard Organizations: NATO, Kurdistan Workers Party, Thomson Locations: VILNIUS, Vilnius, Sweden, Turkish, Finland, Ukraine, Turkey, Hungary, Stockholm, United States, Hungarian, Budapest

☆ Ukraine says Hungary ignores requests for contact with transferred prisoners of war
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 20 (Reuters) - Ukraine said on Monday that Hungary has been ignoring requests for contact with prisoners of war that Kyiv said had been secretly transferred from Russia and called the move an act of self interest on Prime Minister Viktor Orban's side. Hungary, which under Orban has forged strong political and economic ties with Russia and has not cut them since Moscow invaded Ukraine 16 months ago, said on June 9 that it had received a group of 11 Ukrainian prisoners of war from Russia. "All attempts by Ukrainian diplomats over recent days to establish direct contact with Ukrainian citizens have failed," Ukraine's foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said on his Facebook page. Hungary's foreign ministry has not immediately responded to Reuters' requests for a comment. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that the operation to transfer the prisoners was carried out solely in the political interests of Orban.

Persons: Viktor Orban's, Orban, Oleg Nikolenko, Gergely Gulyas, Gulyas, Dmytro Kuleba, Viktor Orban, Kuleba, Lidia Kelly, Michael Perry Organizations: Kyiv, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Hungary, Russia, Moscow, Ukrainian, Melbourne

☆ Poland slams vote questioning Hungary holding EU presidency
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WARSAW, June 1 (Reuters) - Poland rebuked on Thursday the European Parliament backing a resolution that questions Hungary's ability to hold the European Union presidency next year due to concerns about judicial independence. According to a calendar agreed by all EU governments in 2016, Hungary is to hold the presidency of the bloc between July and December 2024. Hungary and Poland have long been at odds with the EU over multiple issues, such as the rule of law, media freedoms and LGBTQ rights. The EU has frozen billions of euros in funds for Budapest and Warsaw due to its concerns. Hungary has refused to provide any military equipment to its neighbour to help it fight off a Russian invasion, and Hungary has criticised EU sanctions against Moscow.

Persons: Mateusz Morawiecki, Viktor Orban's, Balazs Orban, Alan Charlish, Anna Wlodarczak, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: WARSAW, Parliament, Union, EU, European Union, European Commission, . State Department, Twitter, Moscow, Thomson Locations: Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Brussels, Moldova, Budapest, Warsaw

☆ Teenagers tear-gassed at protest against Orban's education reforms
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Boldizsar Gyori | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/9] Police officers spray people, as protesters take part in a protest against Hungarian government's 'Status Law? which may increase teachers' workloads and restrict their independence in Budapest, Hungary, May 3, 2023. The police action follows a thousands-strong rally in central Budapest earlier on Wednesday against legislation that would significantly increase teachers' workload. The protest was the latest in a series of demonstrations over the past year for better working conditions for teachers. Hungary is facing a growing shortage of teachers mainly due to low wages and the unpredictability in the regulatory environment.

☆ ECB says Hungary government decree has impaired central bank independence
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BUDAPEST, April 26 (Reuters) - Hungary's government has infringed the National Bank of Hungary's (NBH) independence with a decree restricting access to the bank's discount bill and by extending a cap on large commercial bank deposits until end-June, the European Central Bank said on Wednesday. Hungary's government last month extended a cap on large commercial bank deposits until the end of June and imposed restrictions on the transfer of central bank discount bills to curb "unjust" income earned on central bank facilities. "The decree, including the interest rate cap, interferes with the independence of the (NBH), since it impedes the (NBH) from independently choosing the necessary means and instruments to conduct an efficient monetary policy," the ECB said. "Therefore, the decree infringes the independence of the (NBH) under Article 130 of the Treaty." Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government announced a cap on large commercial bank deposits after the NBH launched a quick deposit facility with an 18% interest rate last October to stem falls in the forint.

☆ Sweden-Hungary ties at low point, Orban aide says, amid Stockholm NATO bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Welcoming Finland's entry, U.S. President Joe Biden has urged Turkey and Hungary to conclude their ratification processes for Sweden to join the alliance "without delay". Orban's chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas, reiterated ruling party concerns over Sweden's NATO bid, which he said were also shared by Orban's government. "In such a situation, NATO's unity is of paramount importance and it is not helpful if we import bilateral debates into NATO." Hungary's ratification process has been stranded in parliament since July, with Orban airing concerns about the Nordic countries' NATO membership for the first time in February. Among other criticisms, Orban has accused both countries of spreading "outright lies" about the health of democracy in Hungary.

HELSINKI/BRUSSELS, April 4 (Reuters) - Finland will become a member of NATO on Tuesday, completing a historic security policy shift triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while neighbour Sweden is kept in the waiting room. "It will be a good day for Finland's security, for Nordic security and for NATO as a whole," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters on Monday. Sweden underwent a similar transformation in defence thinking and Stockholm and Helsinki applied together last year to join NATO. Moscow said on Monday it would strengthen its military capacity in its western and northwestern regions in response to Finland joining NATO. Stoltenberg said he was "absolutely confident" that Sweden will become a NATO member.

"Tomorrow we will welcome Finland as the 31st member of NATO making Finland safer and our alliance stronger," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels, hailing the move as "historic". Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year pushed Finland and its neighbour Sweden to apply for NATO membership, abandoning decades of military non-alignment. [1/2] NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg attends a news conference before a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels, Belgium April 3, 2023. REUTERS/Johanna Geron 1 2"President Putin went to war against Ukraine with the clear aim to get less NATO," Stoltenberg said. Stoltenberg pledged to work hard to get Sweden into NATO as soon as possible.

☆ Factbox: Steps in Finnish, Swedish path to NATO membership
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Hungary's parliament approved a bill this week to allow Finland to join NATO after Erdogan declared Turkey was ready to approve that bid. Turkey's parliament is expected to follow through on Erdogan's commitment with a vote this week, clearing the way for Finland to join NATO within weeks. Here are the key steps in Finland's and Sweden's path towards NATO membership so far:FINLAND AND SWEDEN SUBMIT MEMBERSHIP REQUESTThe applications, letters signed by the countries' foreign ministers, were formally handed in by Finland's and Sweden's NATO ambassadors on May 18, 2022. FINLAND FORGES AHEADAll NATO countries must ratify a would-be member's application before it can join the alliance. But NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said getting Sweden's application over the line is a top priority.

☆ Sweden less sure it will join NATO by July - TT
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

STOCKHOLM, March 30 (Reuters) - Sweden's foreign minister said on Thursday he was no longer sure his country would be able to join NATO by July, after fresh signs of objections from Hungary. Sweden applied to join the military alliance after Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year, but Hungary and fellow NATO member Turkey held off from approving the bid. Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said last week that "it goes without saying" Sweden would become a member by the time of a NATO summit in Vilnius in July. Finland applied to join NATO at the same time as Sweden. Its NATO membership was approved by the Hungarian parliament on Monday and is expected to be ratified by Turkey soon.

☆ Hungary says 'grievances' hold up ratification of Sweden's NATO accession
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BUDAPEST, March 29 (Reuters) - Hungary is holding up Sweden's admission to NATO because of grievances over criticism by Stockholm of Prime Minister Viktor Orban's policies, the Hungarian government spokesman said on Wednesday. Bridging the gap will require effort on both sides, spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said. Sweden and its neighbour Finland asked to join the NATO military alliance last year following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said last week that Turkey's parliament would also start ratifying Finland's accession. But it held off approving Sweden's bid, accusing it of harbouring Kurdish militants.

☆ Hungarian government official argues Sweden isn't nice enough to his country to get approval to join NATO
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Hungary is one of two countries yet to approve Sweden's bid to join NATO. Sweden — alongside neighboring Finland — requested to join NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine over a year ago, but it still needs Hungary's approval to do so. "With Finland's admission into NATO now secure, Sweden must face the music regarding its daunting attitude and former derogatory comments toward Hungary," Kovács wrote. Photo by JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty ImagesKovács wrote that another reason for the hold up on Sweden's NATO bid is Stockholm's "crumbling throne of moral superiority" and a "lack of care and respect." Sweden and Finland — both of which have historically been militarily nonaligned — applied to join NATO in May 2022 and were invited to join the military alliance the following month.

☆ Hungary parliament backs Finland's NATO accession, Swedish bid pending
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Krisztina Than | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjen attend the voting of the ratification of Finland's NATO membership in Budapest, Hungary, March 27, 2023. Although Finland's bid has now been approved, the Swedish bill is still stranded in the Hungarian parliament. The bill on Finland's NATO accession was passed with 182 in favour and six votes against, after Fidesz said last week it would back the motion. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said last week that Turkey's parliament would also start ratifying Finland's accession. Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief political aide said on Twitter on Sunday the government backed Sweden's NATO membership and "now it's up to the parliament to make a decision."

Summary Wedding boom, fuelled by government handouts, fizzlesSurging inflation boosts wedding costs, devalues benefitsSome couples scaling back or even scrapping wedding feastsJanuary weddings fall to lowest since January 2014BUDAPEST, March 27 (Reuters) - Soaring inflation is taking the steam out of Hungary's wedding market, supercharged in recent years by Prime Minister Viktor Orban's lavish family support measures, with the number of weddings plunging to a nine-year-low at the start of 2023. In January the number of weddings recorded in Hungary fell to 1,230, preliminary data showed - the lowest number since January 2014. "We did not think that this wedding boom would be so strong and prolonged, but it will now probably return to equilibrium." Mihaly Toth, a master of wedding ceremonies, says the number of couples planning to tie the knot is likely to fall from last year's levels. "We will just have a small family get-together and then go out with some friends for the night," Szabo said.

☆ NATO ally Hungary throws Putin a lifeline, saying it won't arrest him despite ICC warrant tied to Ukraine war
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Hungary signaled it would not arrest Putin if he visited even though the ICC issued an arrest warrant. Hungary is an ICC member, but said that under Hungarian law it can't arrest Putin. "The ICC's statute has not been promulgated in Hungary," Gulyas said, adding that his government hasn't yet formed a stance on the arrest warrant for Putin. States Parties to the Rome Statute have a legal obligation to cooperate fully with the ICC," according to the ICC. Though the US is not an ICC member and does not recognize the court's jurisdiction, President Joe Biden said the arrest warrant for Putin was "justified."

☆ Hungary would not arrest Putin, says PM Orban's chief of staff
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BUDAPEST, March 23 (Reuters) - Hungary would not arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he entered the country, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff said on Thursday, adding that it would have no legal grounds. Hungary signed and ratified the Rome Statute that created the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant on Friday accusing Putin of the war crime of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine. When asked if Putin would be arrested if he came to Hungary, Orban's chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas, told a briefing that the Rome Statute had not been built into the Hungarian legal system. When asked, he said his government "had not formed a stance" on the arrest warrant issued against Putin. Putin, only the third serving president to have been issued an arrest warrant by the ICC, is unlikely to end up in court any time soon.

Search resuls for: "Viktor Orban's"

25 mentions found