The Hungarian government has declared a state of emergency due to the energy crisis and has adopted a 7-point action plan to prepare the country for upcoming challenges and defend the utility cost reduction program.

Hungary announces 7-point security action plan to tackle energy crisis

The war in Ukraine has had an impact on several countries around the world. From growing food crisis to energy concerns, various nations are combating issues as a result of the months-long conflict.

Europe energy crisis: Hungary declares 'state of danger'

Russia&nbsp;has&nbsp;promised to continue&nbsp;gas&nbsp;shipments&nbsp;to&nbsp;Hungary&nbsp;and that Gazprom will fulfil its contractual obligations to the country,&nbsp;Foreign&nbsp;Minister&nbsp;Peter Szijjarto said in an interview on public service radio on Sunday.

In&nbsp;Russia's response to Western sanctions imposed on Moscow since its invasion of Ukraine, state energy giant Gazprom&nbsp;has&nbsp;cut supplies to Denmark's Orsted&nbsp;and to Shell Energy&nbsp;for its contract to supply&nbsp;gas&nbsp;to Germany.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indias-russian-coal-buying-spikes-as-traders-offer-steep-discounts-489537">India's Russian coal buying spikes as traders offer steep discounts: Report</a>

It also cut supplies to Dutch&nbsp;gas&nbsp;trader&nbsp;GasTerra along with Bulgaria, Poland and Finland for refusing to make payments for&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;gas&nbsp;in roubles under a new rouble scheme.

Szijjarto said that Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller and&nbsp;Russia's deputy prime&nbsp;minister&nbsp;Alexander Novak had both&nbsp;assured&nbsp;him in a phone call that the company would fulfil its obligations towards&nbsp;Hungary&nbsp;set out in its contract.

The&nbsp;minister&nbsp;did not say when the phone call took place. The&nbsp;foreign&nbsp;ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Watch |&nbsp;NATO chief warns Russia-Ukraine war might last long

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Under a deal with Gazprom signed last year,&nbsp;Hungary&nbsp;receives 3.5 billion cubic metres (bcm) of&nbsp;gas&nbsp;per year via Bulgaria and Serbia under its long-term deal with&nbsp;Russia, and a further one bcm via a pipeline from Austria.

The agreement is valid for 15 years, with an option to modify purchased quantities after 10 years.

Szijjarto also said on Sunday that&nbsp;Hungary's energy security, including its&nbsp;gas&nbsp;supply, is stable and that&nbsp;gas&nbsp;shipments&nbsp;have been arriving daily as per the contract, on schedule, and without any disruptions.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-has-nothing-against-ukraine-joining-eu-putin-489203">Russia has 'nothing against' Ukraine joining EU, says Vladimir Putin</a>

Russian&nbsp;gas&nbsp;flows to Europe fell short of demand on Friday as Italy and Slovakia reported receiving less than half of the usual volumes through the Nordstream 1 pipeline, which crosses the Baltic Sea from&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;to Germany and accounts for around 40 per cent&nbsp;of&nbsp;Russian pipeline flows to the European Union.

On Sunday Germany announced further steps to boost&nbsp;gas&nbsp;storage levels to prepare for the next winter season, when it fears&nbsp;Russia&nbsp;could reduce or even completely halt supplies.

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Russia has promised to continue gas shipments to Hungary and that Gazprom will fulfil its contractual obligations to the country, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in an interview on public service radio on Sunday.

Russia has promised to continue gas shipments to Hungary and that Gazprom will fulfil its contractual obligations to the country, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in an interview on public service radio on Sunday. In Russia's response to Western sanctions imposed on Moscow since its invasion of Ukraine, state energy giant Gazprom has cut supplies to Denmark's Orsted and to Shell Energy for its contract to supply gas to Germany. Also read | India's Russian coal buying spikes as traders offer steep discounts: Report It also cut supplies to Dutch gas trader GasTerra along with Bulgaria, Poland and Finland for refusing to make payments for Russian gas in roubles under a new rouble scheme. Szijjarto said that Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller and Russia's deputy prime minister Alexander Novak had both assured him in a phone call that the company would fulfil its obligations towards Hungary set out in its contract. The minister did not say when the phone call took place. The foreign ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Watch | NATO chief warns Russia-Ukraine war might last long Under a deal with Gazprom signed last year, Hungary receives 3.5 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas per year via Bulgaria and Serbia under its long-term deal with Russia, and a further one bcm via a pipeline from Austria. The agreement is valid for 15 years, with an option to modify purchased quantities after 10 years. Szijjarto also said on Sunday that Hungary's energy security, including its gas supply, is stable and that gas shipments have been arriving daily as per the contract, on schedule, and without any disruptions. Also read | Russia has 'nothing against' Ukraine joining EU, says Vladimir Putin Russian gas flows to Europe fell short of demand on Friday as Italy and Slovakia reported receiving less than half of the usual volumes through the Nordstream 1 pipeline, which crosses the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany and accounts for around 40 per cent of Russian pipeline flows to the European Union. On Sunday Germany announced further steps to boost gas storage levels to prepare for the next winter season, when it fears Russia could reduce or even completely halt supplies. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia has assured Hungary of continued gas shipments: Foreign Minister

Hungary humiliated England 4-0 away on Tuesday to go top of their Nations League group and hand the hosts their worst home defeat for 94 years in a competition Gareth Southgate`s side had hoped would be a morale-boosting warmup for the World Cup. Southgate made nine changes from the team that drew with Italy at the weekend to give some fringe players a chance. But despite dominating possession, England created few chances and the experiment backfired against a Hungary team who beat them in Budapest earlier in the month and were out for blood again.

"Tonight is a chastening experience," Southgate said, after last year`s national heroes as European Championship finalists were booed off at Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton. Hungary`s Roland Sallai began the rout when he controlled the ball on his knee after a miscued header from John Stones before drilling past Aaron Ramsdale in the 16th minute.

Sallai scored a second in the 70th minute with a perfect finish with the outside of his boot after Kalvin Phillips lost a tackle. Zsolt Nagy chipped Ramsdale and Daniel Gazdag drove from distance into the corner for two late goals that heaped pain on England. Adding to their disastrous night, England defender Stones was sent off for two yellow cards.

Southgate said he had picked a young, experimental team, heavy on attacking talent, which left his side exposed when the game turned against them. "That`s my responsibility at the end of the day. 
We couldn’t keep flogging our best players ... But I think I’ve given too much for them to do tonight. I understand the reaction to that in the stadium," he said.

"I`m not going to say that it doesn`t hurt ... We’ve seen that you’ve got to be at full strength. It was an important experience for young players across this tranche of games. "This group of players have been unbelievable for the country and it’s important that they stay with them," added Southgate, who also led England to a World Cup semi-final in Russia in 2018.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/afc-asian-cup-qualifiers-sunil-chhetri-achieves-elite-feat-as-india-beat-hong-kong-to-top-group-d-488311">AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers: Sunil Chhetri achieves elite feat as India beat Hong Kong to top Group D</a>

KANE: `NIGHT TO FORGET` 
The result left Marco Rossi`s tough Hungary side top of Group A3 on seven points, with England in fourth and bottom spot on two points. Germany are second on six points after winning 5-2 against Italy, who are third on five points. With two games left, the group winners go to the Nations League finals next June while the bottom team are relegated.

England captain Harry Kane, who provided some of England`s few moments of quality and hit the bar with a header, acknowledged his side`s second half capitulation was "unacceptable" but also urged fans to be forgiving.

"It’s our first big defeat in a long time. It`s not time to panic, it’s time to keep our heads up," he said. "A night to forget but we have to take it on the chin and move forward, prepare for a big World Cup, and we’ll learn a lot ... Let’s not forget where we’ve come from. It’s not going to be perfect every game."

After narrowly losing last year`s Euros to Italy, England have high hopes for the Qatar World Cup at the end of this year. But their dismal form in the Nations League has baffled fans, with some pundits pointing to player exhaustion after the rigours of the Premier League and other competitions for many.

It was the first time England had lost a home match by four or more goals since March 1928 when Scotland beat them 5-1. And it was the first time an away team had scored four goals against England since the Hungarians themselves won 6-3 1953. Hungary did not qualify for the World Cup.

Hungary humiliated England 4-0 away on Tuesday to go top of their Nations League group and hand the hosts their worst home defeat for 94 years in a competition Gareth Southgate`s side had hoped would be a morale-boosting warmup for the World Cup.

Hungary humiliated England 4-0 away on Tuesday to go top of their Nations League group and hand the hosts their worst home defeat for 94 years in a competition Gareth Southgate`s side had hoped would be a morale-boosting warmup for the World Cup. Southgate made nine changes from the team that drew with Italy at the weekend to give some fringe players a chance. But despite dominating possession, England created few chances and the experiment backfired against a Hungary team who beat them in Budapest earlier in the month and were out for blood again. "Tonight is a chastening experience," Southgate said, after last year`s national heroes as European Championship finalists were booed off at Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton. Hungary`s Roland Sallai began the rout when he controlled the ball on his knee after a miscued header from John Stones before drilling past Aaron Ramsdale in the 16th minute. Sallai scored a second in the 70th minute with a perfect finish with the outside of his boot after Kalvin Phillips lost a tackle. Zsolt Nagy chipped Ramsdale and Daniel Gazdag drove from distance into the corner for two late goals that heaped pain on England. Adding to their disastrous night, England defender Stones was sent off for two yellow cards. Southgate said he had picked a young, experimental team, heavy on attacking talent, which left his side exposed when the game turned against them. "That`s my responsibility at the end of the day. We couldn’t keep flogging our best players ... But I think I’ve given too much for them to do tonight. I understand the reaction to that in the stadium," he said. "I`m not going to say that it doesn`t hurt ... We’ve seen that you’ve got to be at full strength. It was an important experience for young players across this tranche of games. "This group of players have been unbelievable for the country and it’s important that they stay with them," added Southgate, who also led England to a World Cup semi-final in Russia in 2018. ALSO READ | AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers: Sunil Chhetri achieves elite feat as India beat Hong Kong to top Group D KANE: `NIGHT TO FORGET` The result left Marco Rossi`s tough Hungary side top of Group A3 on seven points, with England in fourth and bottom spot on two points. Germany are second on six points after winning 5-2 against Italy, who are third on five points. With two games left, the group winners go to the Nations League finals next June while the bottom team are relegated. England captain Harry Kane, who provided some of England`s few moments of quality and hit the bar with a header, acknowledged his side`s second half capitulation was "unacceptable" but also urged fans to be forgiving. "It’s our first big defeat in a long time. It`s not time to panic, it’s time to keep our heads up," he said. "A night to forget but we have to take it on the chin and move forward, prepare for a big World Cup, and we’ll learn a lot ... Let’s not forget where we’ve come from. It’s not going to be perfect every game." After narrowly losing last year`s Euros to Italy, England have high hopes for the Qatar World Cup at the end of this year. But their dismal form in the Nations League has baffled fans, with some pundits pointing to player exhaustion after the rigours of the Premier League and other competitions for many. It was the first time England had lost a home match by four or more goals since March 1928 when Scotland beat them 5-1. And it was the first time an away team had scored four goals against England since the Hungarians themselves won 6-3 1953. Hungary did not qualify for the World Cup.

Hungary humiliate England to condemn Harry Kane & Co. to worst home defeat since 1928

A small silver coin, which has the mark of the name of the famous Viking King&nbsp;Harald Sigurdsson III, has been found surprisingly in southern Hungary by a metal detectorist. It hasn’t been discovered in Scandinavia, where it would have been almost 1,000 years ago. This recent discovery has puzzled archaeologists as they are not able to understand the emergence of the coin in Hungary. It may have arrived with the traveling court of a medieval Hungarian king. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/huge-bulldog-faced-dinosaur-with-tiny-arms-found-in-egypt-say-researchers-486229" hreflang="en">Huge 'bulldog-faced' dinosaur with tiny arms found in Egypt, say researchers</a>

Denominated as a "penning", this Norwegian coin was made of silver. "This penning was equivalent to the denar used in Hungary at the time. It was not worth much — perhaps enough to feed a family for a day," Máté Varga, archaeologist, Rippl-Rónai Museum in the Hungarian city of Kaposvár, told Live Science in an email. Varga is also a doctoral student at Hungary's University of Szeged. &nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Climate crisis: How can coastal areas survive rise in sea level?

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At an archaeological site on the outskirts of the Várdomb village, the silver coin was found by metal detectorist Zoltán Csikós earlier this year. Csikós handed it over to archaeologist András Németh at the Wosinsky Mór County Museum in Szekszárd. It is the first time that a Scandinavian coin has been found in Hungary, Varga said. &nbsp;

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(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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A small silver coin, which has the mark of the name of the famous Viking King Harald Sigurdsson III, has been found surprisingly in southern Hungary by a metal detectorist.

A small silver coin, which has the mark of the name of the famous Viking King Harald Sigurdsson III, has been found surprisingly in southern Hungary by a metal detectorist. It hasn’t been discovered in Scandinavia, where it would have been almost 1,000 years ago. This recent discovery has puzzled archaeologists as they are not able to understand the emergence of the coin in Hungary. It may have arrived with the traveling court of a medieval Hungarian king. Also Read: Huge 'bulldog-faced' dinosaur with tiny arms found in Egypt, say researchers Denominated as a "penning", this Norwegian coin was made of silver. "This penning was equivalent to the denar used in Hungary at the time. It was not worth much — perhaps enough to feed a family for a day," Máté Varga, archaeologist, Rippl-Rónai Museum in the Hungarian city of Kaposvár, told Live Science in an email. Varga is also a doctoral student at Hungary's University of Szeged. Watch | Climate crisis: How can coastal areas survive rise in sea level? At an archaeological site on the outskirts of the Várdomb village, the silver coin was found by metal detectorist Zoltán Csikós earlier this year. Csikós handed it over to archaeologist András Németh at the Wosinsky Mór County Museum in Szekszárd. It is the first time that a Scandinavian coin has been found in Hungary, Varga said. Watch WION's live TV here: (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Surprising discovery: Scandinavian small silver coin found in Hungary by metal detectorist

It is days after the European leaders reached a compromise to impose a partial oil embargo on Russia after a long delay package of sanctions that was blocked by Hungary. The central European nation Hungary once again refuses to give green light to the EU sanctions

Hungary delays oil ban over Putin's patriarch

According to reports, EU is divided over Russian oil ban and now a temporary compromise is being discussed among EU countries in an attempt to get Hungarian Prime Minister's support.

EU mulls diluting Russian oil ban; move to bring Hungary on board

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said that the only way to remain in power is to have your own media outlet and to tackle the “insanity of the progressive left.” His comments came during a special conference of the US Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Budapest’s Balnaconference centre.

Orbán, who was recently elected to a fourth term, laid out a 12-point blueprint to achieving and consolidating power under the slogan “God, Homeland, Family”.

He claimed that the US media— CNN, the New York Times and others—is&nbsp;largely dominated by “Leftist” Democrats and called for shows like right-wing aligned Fox News Tucker Carlson’s to be broadcast “24/7”.

“We have to take back the institutions in Washington and Brussels. We must find allies in one another and coordinate the movements of our troops,” Orbán said, suggesting that it was time for the right to join forces.

He told Republicans that media influence was one of the keys to success.

In Hungary, the prime minister and his allies have effective control of most media outlets in Hungary, including state TV, reported The Guardian.

“Have your own media. It’s the only way to point out the insanity of the progressive left,” he was quoted as saying.

“The problem is that the western media is adjusted to the leftist viewpoint. Those who taught reporters in universities already had progressive leftist principles.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fox-news-anchor-tucker-carlson-sought-hunter-bidens-help-for-sons-university-admission-report-480801" hreflang="en">Tucker Carlson sought Hunter Biden's help for son's uni admission: Report</a>

The Guardian claimed that journalists from reputed media outlets like the New Yorker, Vox Media, Vice News, Rolling Stone, and the Associated Press, were denied access to the event despite months of requests.

It is being claimed that the organisers either ignored their requests for accreditation or told them to “watch the event online”.

Orbán’s 12-point action plan also included points on faith, “because the absence of faith is dangerous” and the importance in countering “LGBT propaganda” which was “still new in our country but we have already destroyed it”.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said that the only way to remain in power is to have your own media outlet and to tackle the “insanity of the progressive left.

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said that the only way to remain in power is to have your own media outlet and to tackle the “insanity of the progressive left.” His comments came during a special conference of the US Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Budapest’s Balnaconference centre. Orbán, who was recently elected to a fourth term, laid out a 12-point blueprint to achieving and consolidating power under the slogan “God, Homeland, Family”. He claimed that the US media— CNN, the New York Times and others—is largely dominated by “Leftist” Democrats and called for shows like right-wing aligned Fox News Tucker Carlson’s to be broadcast “24/7”. “We have to take back the institutions in Washington and Brussels. We must find allies in one another and coordinate the movements of our troops,” Orbán said, suggesting that it was time for the right to join forces. He told Republicans that media influence was one of the keys to success. In Hungary, the prime minister and his allies have effective control of most media outlets in Hungary, including state TV, reported The Guardian. “Have your own media. It’s the only way to point out the insanity of the progressive left,” he was quoted as saying. “The problem is that the western media is adjusted to the leftist viewpoint. Those who taught reporters in universities already had progressive leftist principles.” Also read | Tucker Carlson sought Hunter Biden's help for son's uni admission: Report The Guardian claimed that journalists from reputed media outlets like the New Yorker, Vox Media, Vice News, Rolling Stone, and the Associated Press, were denied access to the event despite months of requests. It is being claimed that the organisers either ignored their requests for accreditation or told them to “watch the event online”. Orbán’s 12-point action plan also included points on faith, “because the absence of faith is dangerous” and the importance in countering “LGBT propaganda” which was “still new in our country but we have already destroyed it”. (With inputs from agencies) (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

In Budapest, Hungary’s Viktor Orban tells CPAC conservatives to have own media to retain power

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor&nbsp;Orban&nbsp;on Monday raised the spectre of an "era of recession" in Europe as the continent grapples with surging energy costs and rising inflation due to the war in Ukraine.

Orban, taking his oath of office after being elected in April for a fourth consecutive term, took a typically bullish line towards Brussels, telling parliament it was "abusing its power day by day" by pushing back member states' sovereignty.

Nonetheless, he said&nbsp;Hungary's place was in the European Union for the next decade.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hungary-says-european-union-russia-oil-ban-proposal-crosses-red-line-476798">Hungary says European Union Russia oil ban proposal crosses 'red line'</a>

He also said&nbsp;Hungary&nbsp;would not block European Union sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine as long as they posed no risk to&nbsp;Hungary's energy security.

Hungary, with a few other member states, has so far rejected the EU's proposed current sanctions on Russian oil. Budapest says it wants hundreds of millions of euros from the bloc to mitigate the cost of ditching Russian crude. The EU needs all 27 states to agree to the embargo for it to go ahead.

He said the most important task of his new government would be to steer&nbsp;Hungary's economy through a European economic crisis, defending the tax breaks and benefits granted to families and defending households' capped energy bills.

Also watch |&nbsp;

"The war and the European policy of sanctions given in response, has created an energy crisis,"&nbsp;Orban&nbsp;said.

"The energy crisis, and the interest rate hikes in the United States have jointly brought about the era of high inflation. All this will bring about the era of recession, when a decline in economic output, stagnation and years of slight increases in output will follow each other in Europe."

Orban&nbsp;has repeatedly clashed with the EU over policies, most lately over LGBTQ rights and rule of law issues, but said the importance of&nbsp;Hungary&nbsp;being a member of NATO had never been as obvious as now.

He projected the war in neighbouring Ukraine would "last for a long time ... and will pose a permanent security threat to&nbsp;Hungary".

He said the National Bank of&nbsp;Hungary&nbsp;and the government would have to coordinate steps to curb inflation.

"We will sync these steps ... we will take cautious but firm measures to regulate prices,"&nbsp;Orban&nbsp;said in a speech. His government has already capped fuel prices, basic foodstuffs and mortgage rates, as well as households' energy bills.

Earlier in the day, the European Commission published its fresh economic forecasts, in which it said&nbsp;Hungary's GDP growth would slow to 3.6% this year from 7.1% in 2021, while average inflation would come in at 9% this year.

"In 2022, the deficit is forecast to remain elevated at 6.0% of GDP, reflecting the introduction of several expansionary measures and additional spending related to high energy prices," it added.

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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Monday raised the spectre of an "era of recession" in Europe as the continent grapples with surging energy costs and rising inflation due to the war in Ukraine.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Monday raised the spectre of an "era of recession" in Europe as the continent grapples with surging energy costs and rising inflation due to the war in Ukraine. Orban, taking his oath of office after being elected in April for a fourth consecutive term, took a typically bullish line towards Brussels, telling parliament it was "abusing its power day by day" by pushing back member states' sovereignty. Nonetheless, he said Hungary's place was in the European Union for the next decade. Also read | Hungary says European Union Russia oil ban proposal crosses 'red line' He also said Hungary would not block European Union sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine as long as they posed no risk to Hungary's energy security. Hungary, with a few other member states, has so far rejected the EU's proposed current sanctions on Russian oil. Budapest says it wants hundreds of millions of euros from the bloc to mitigate the cost of ditching Russian crude. The EU needs all 27 states to agree to the embargo for it to go ahead. He said the most important task of his new government would be to steer Hungary's economy through a European economic crisis, defending the tax breaks and benefits granted to families and defending households' capped energy bills. Also watch | "The war and the European policy of sanctions given in response, has created an energy crisis," Orban said. "The energy crisis, and the interest rate hikes in the United States have jointly brought about the era of high inflation. All this will bring about the era of recession, when a decline in economic output, stagnation and years of slight increases in output will follow each other in Europe." Orban has repeatedly clashed with the EU over policies, most lately over LGBTQ rights and rule of law issues, but said the importance of Hungary being a member of NATO had never been as obvious as now. He projected the war in neighbouring Ukraine would "last for a long time ... and will pose a permanent security threat to Hungary". He said the National Bank of Hungary and the government would have to coordinate steps to curb inflation. "We will sync these steps ... we will take cautious but firm measures to regulate prices," Orban said in a speech. His government has already capped fuel prices, basic foodstuffs and mortgage rates, as well as households' energy bills. Earlier in the day, the European Commission published its fresh economic forecasts, in which it said Hungary's GDP growth would slow to 3.6% this year from 7.1% in 2021, while average inflation would come in at 9% this year. "In 2022, the deficit is forecast to remain elevated at 6.0% of GDP, reflecting the introduction of several expansionary measures and additional spending related to high energy prices," it added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Hungary PM Orban warns of "era of recession" in Europe

On May 7, some 30 Hungarian couples competed in the country's third wife-carrying race, with husbands carrying their wives on their backs.

Couples in Hungary compete in wife-carrying race

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Friday blasted European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen for "attacking"&nbsp;EU&nbsp;unity with a plan to&nbsp;ban&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;oil, saying it crosses a red line and has been sent back.

"The European Commission president, intentionally or unintentionally, has attacked the European unity that had been worked out," Orban said on state radio.&nbsp;

"From the first moment we made clear that there will be a red line... they have crossed this red line."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-destroyed-400-hospitals-leaving-patients-in-extreme-difficulties-zelensky-476697">Russia destroyed 400 hospitals, leaving patients in extreme difficulties: Zelensky</a>

On Wednesday the&nbsp;EU&nbsp;executive proposed to the bloc's 27 members a&nbsp;ban&nbsp;on Russian&nbsp;oil&nbsp;imports in its toughest move yet over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Von der Leyen said the bloc would "phase out Russian supply of crude&nbsp;oil&nbsp;within six months, and refined products by the end of the year".

Watch |&nbsp;Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Fighting destroyed nearly 400 hospitals, medical centres, says Zelensky

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Hungary and Slovakia&nbsp;both highly dependent on Moscow's&nbsp;oil&nbsp;exports would have until the end of 2023.

The embargo would amount to "a nuclear bomb dropped on the Hungarian economy", Orban said, adding that the proposed exemption for Hungary until end-2023 is not long enough.

"The transformation of the Hungary energy transmission and supply system could be completed in five years," Orban said.

Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto in a video message posted on his Facebook page on Wednesday said Budapest would back the proposal if crude&nbsp;oil&nbsp;delivered via pipelines was exempted from the&nbsp;EU's&nbsp;ban.

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"I avoid the word 'veto', I do not want to confront the&nbsp;EU. We are interested in a constructive dialogue," said Orban, who was re-elected for a fourth straight term as premier last month.

He said the proposal "has been returned to sender, to Madame President, to work on further".

Orban also protested against the inclusion in the sanctions package of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/not-helping-ukraine-target-russian-generals-pentagon-476727">Not helping Ukraine 'target' Russian generals: Pentagon</a>

"We will not allow church leaders to be put on a sanctions list," said Orban, who has cultivated close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to Budapest, 65 percent of Hungary's&nbsp;oil&nbsp;and 85&nbsp;per cent of its&nbsp;gas&nbsp;supplies come from&nbsp;Russia.

&nbsp;

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Friday blasted European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen for "attacking" EU unity with a plan to ban Russian oil, saying it crosses a red line and has been sent back.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Friday blasted European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen for "attacking" EU unity with a plan to ban Russian oil, saying it crosses a red line and has been sent back. "The European Commission president, intentionally or unintentionally, has attacked the European unity that had been worked out," Orban said on state radio. "From the first moment we made clear that there will be a red line... they have crossed this red line." Also read | Russia destroyed 400 hospitals, leaving patients in extreme difficulties: Zelensky On Wednesday the EU executive proposed to the bloc's 27 members a ban on Russian oil imports in its toughest move yet over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Von der Leyen said the bloc would "phase out Russian supply of crude oil within six months, and refined products by the end of the year". Watch | Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Fighting destroyed nearly 400 hospitals, medical centres, says Zelensky Hungary and Slovakia both highly dependent on Moscow's oil exports would have until the end of 2023. The embargo would amount to "a nuclear bomb dropped on the Hungarian economy", Orban said, adding that the proposed exemption for Hungary until end-2023 is not long enough. "The transformation of the Hungary energy transmission and supply system could be completed in five years," Orban said. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto in a video message posted on his Facebook page on Wednesday said Budapest would back the proposal if crude oil delivered via pipelines was exempted from the EU's ban. WATCH WION LIVE HERE: "I avoid the word 'veto', I do not want to confront the EU. We are interested in a constructive dialogue," said Orban, who was re-elected for a fourth straight term as premier last month. He said the proposal "has been returned to sender, to Madame President, to work on further". Orban also protested against the inclusion in the sanctions package of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill. Also read | Not helping Ukraine 'target' Russian generals: Pentagon "We will not allow church leaders to be put on a sanctions list," said Orban, who has cultivated close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Budapest, 65 percent of Hungary's oil and 85 per cent of its gas supplies come from Russia.

Hungary says European Union Russia oil ban proposal crosses 'red line'

Breaking ranks with the European Union the newly re-elected Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said that the country is actually ready to pay Russia in rubles for gas. Hungary which is highly dependent on Russian energy imports is the first European Union to make this move after Vladimir Putin had warned the European members will need have ruble accounts to pay for Russian gas that they import.

Hungary: Ready to pay for gas in rubles

Hungary is at risk of experiencing funding cuts from the European Union as Brussels launches a new disciplinary procedure against it.

Hungary at risk of EU funding cut as Brussels launches new disciplinary procedure

Hungarian PM Viktor Orban has secured another term in office with a landslide victory. Orban says his victory can be seen 'even from the moon'. What does the win mean for Europe? Palki Sharma Upadhyay gets you a report.

Gravitas: Hungary's PM Viktor Orban secures another term

Official results from Hungary's general election on Sunday showed nationalist Hungarian Prime Minister&nbsp;Viktor&nbsp;Orban's Fidesz party had won a fourth term in office by a much greater margin than pre-election polls had suggested, after a campaign overshadowed by the war in neighbouring Ukraine.

Addressing a jubilant crowd chanting his name, many of them wearing Fidesz's orange party colour,&nbsp;Orban&nbsp;said: "We have won a great victory -- a victory so great you can perhaps see it from the moon and certainly from Brussels".

Orban's administration has presided over repeated confrontations with the European Union, including over the neutering of the press and judiciary, and measures targeting the LGBTQ community -- also the subject of a vote on Sunday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hungarians-vote-on-orbans-12-year-rule-in-tight-ballot-overshadowed-by-ukraine-war-467895">Hungarians vote on Orban's 12-year rule in tight ballot overshadowed by Ukraine war</a>

The 58-year-old, already the longest-serving head of government in the EU, was challenged by six united opposition parties seeking to roll back the "illiberal" revolution&nbsp;Orban's Fidesz party has pursued during 12 consecutive years in office.

But with 94 percent of votes counted, Fidesz was on 53 percent compared to 35 percent for the opposition coalition, according to results from the national election office -- a result which means the party will retain its two-thirds majority in parliament.

Peter Marki-Zay, 49, the conservative leading the opposition list, addressed supporters and conceded defeat late on Sunday evening.

"I will not hide my sadness and my disappointment," he told them, combatively accusing Fidesz of running a campaign of "hate and lies".

He added that the opposition had done "everything humanly possible" but that the campaign had been "an unequal fight" given the way in which he and other anti-Fidesz politicians had been all but banished from state media.

MEP Marton Gyongyosi from the right-wing Jobbik party which is part of the opposition coalition, told AFP that "abuses" had taken place on Sunday and added: "This will have to be considered when talking about how the results of the elections can be respected".

Orban&nbsp;has dismissed such complaints and insisted the vote was fair.

For the first time more than 200 international observers monitored the election in Hungary, an EU member, along with thousands of domestic volunteers from both camps.

Turnout reached 68.69 percent, almost matching the record participation seen at the last national elections in 2018.

The far-right Mi Hazank party also surpassed expectations and will make its debut in parliament after crossing the five-percent minimum threshold.

Watch |&nbsp;Hungary: Viktor Orban scores fourth consecutive win in general elections

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/hungary-viktor-orban-scored-a-fourth-consecutive-win-in-general-elections-468142/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Ruined the country

Budapest resident Agnes Kunyik, 56, told AFP she had backed the opposition.

"They have ruined our country, destroyed it," she said of Fidesz, becoming visibly emotional.

But one of those who had turned out for&nbsp;Orban's victory celebration, 55-year-old Ildiko Horvath, said that under Fidesz "Hungary is really going forwards," adding: "On the really important questions like the (Ukraine) war and migrants he always decides in line with what the majority wants."

Russia's February 24 invasion of Ukraine cast a long shadow over the campaign.

Diplomatically,&nbsp;Orban&nbsp;fell into line with EU support for Kyiv despite his long-standing closeness to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

But at home,&nbsp;Orban&nbsp;has struck a neutral and even anti-Ukrainian tone at times, refusing to let weapons for Ukraine cross Hungarian territory.

He cast himself as the protector of stability and accused the opposition of "warmongering".

In his victory speech&nbsp;Orban&nbsp;said: "We never had so many opponents," reeling off a list that comprised "Brussels bureaucrats... the international mainstream media, and finally the Ukrainian president".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has singled&nbsp;Orban&nbsp;out for criticism over his reticence to take a tougher stance against Russia.

French and Italian far-right leaders Marine Le Pen and Matteo Salvini were quick to offer their congratulations on Sunday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-crisishungary-pm-orban-calls-sanctions-double-edged-weapon-458898">Russia-Ukraine Crisis:Hungary PM Orban calls sanctions 'double-edged weapon'</a>

Le Pen, herself gathering momentum in polls before the first round of presidential elections in France next week, posted a picture of herself shaking hands with&nbsp;Orban&nbsp;and the caption: "When the people vote, the people win!"

As well as electing MPs, Hungarians were voting in a referendum designed to elicit support for what Fidesz calls a "child protection" law&nbsp;banning the portrayal of LGBTQ people to under-18s.

Budapest resident Regina, 25 -- who refused to give her surname -- told AFP she had spoiled her ballot in the "twisted" referendum which she said had portrayed LGBTQ Hungarians as an "enemy".&nbsp;

Partial results showed the referendum had failed as not enough valid votes had been cast.&nbsp;

Official results from Hungary's general election on Sunday showed nationalist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party had won a fourth term in office by a much greater margin than pre-election polls had suggested, after a campaign overshadowed by the war in neighbouring Ukraine.

Official results from Hungary's general election on Sunday showed nationalist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party had won a fourth term in office by a much greater margin than pre-election polls had suggested, after a campaign overshadowed by the war in neighbouring Ukraine. Addressing a jubilant crowd chanting his name, many of them wearing Fidesz's orange party colour, Orban said: "We have won a great victory -- a victory so great you can perhaps see it from the moon and certainly from Brussels". Orban's administration has presided over repeated confrontations with the European Union, including over the neutering of the press and judiciary, and measures targeting the LGBTQ community -- also the subject of a vote on Sunday. Also read | Hungarians vote on Orban's 12-year rule in tight ballot overshadowed by Ukraine war The 58-year-old, already the longest-serving head of government in the EU, was challenged by six united opposition parties seeking to roll back the "illiberal" revolution Orban's Fidesz party has pursued during 12 consecutive years in office. But with 94 percent of votes counted, Fidesz was on 53 percent compared to 35 percent for the opposition coalition, according to results from the national election office -- a result which means the party will retain its two-thirds majority in parliament. Peter Marki-Zay, 49, the conservative leading the opposition list, addressed supporters and conceded defeat late on Sunday evening. "I will not hide my sadness and my disappointment," he told them, combatively accusing Fidesz of running a campaign of "hate and lies". He added that the opposition had done "everything humanly possible" but that the campaign had been "an unequal fight" given the way in which he and other anti-Fidesz politicians had been all but banished from state media. MEP Marton Gyongyosi from the right-wing Jobbik party which is part of the opposition coalition, told AFP that "abuses" had taken place on Sunday and added: "This will have to be considered when talking about how the results of the elections can be respected". Orban has dismissed such complaints and insisted the vote was fair. For the first time more than 200 international observers monitored the election in Hungary, an EU member, along with thousands of domestic volunteers from both camps. Turnout reached 68.69 percent, almost matching the record participation seen at the last national elections in 2018. The far-right Mi Hazank party also surpassed expectations and will make its debut in parliament after crossing the five-percent minimum threshold. Watch | Hungary: Viktor Orban scores fourth consecutive win in general elections Ruined the country Budapest resident Agnes Kunyik, 56, told AFP she had backed the opposition. "They have ruined our country, destroyed it," she said of Fidesz, becoming visibly emotional. But one of those who had turned out for Orban's victory celebration, 55-year-old Ildiko Horvath, said that under Fidesz "Hungary is really going forwards," adding: "On the really important questions like the (Ukraine) war and migrants he always decides in line with what the majority wants." Russia's February 24 invasion of Ukraine cast a long shadow over the campaign. Diplomatically, Orban fell into line with EU support for Kyiv despite his long-standing closeness to Russian President Vladimir Putin. But at home, Orban has struck a neutral and even anti-Ukrainian tone at times, refusing to let weapons for Ukraine cross Hungarian territory. He cast himself as the protector of stability and accused the opposition of "warmongering". In his victory speech Orban said: "We never had so many opponents," reeling off a list that comprised "Brussels bureaucrats... the international mainstream media, and finally the Ukrainian president". Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has singled Orban out for criticism over his reticence to take a tougher stance against Russia. French and Italian far-right leaders Marine Le Pen and Matteo Salvini were quick to offer their congratulations on Sunday. Also read | Russia-Ukraine Crisis:Hungary PM Orban calls sanctions 'double-edged weapon' Le Pen, herself gathering momentum in polls before the first round of presidential elections in France next week, posted a picture of herself shaking hands with Orban and the caption: "When the people vote, the people win!" As well as electing MPs, Hungarians were voting in a referendum designed to elicit support for what Fidesz calls a "child protection" law banning the portrayal of LGBTQ people to under-18s. Budapest resident Regina, 25 -- who refused to give her surname -- told AFP she had spoiled her ballot in the "twisted" referendum which she said had portrayed LGBTQ Hungarians as an "enemy". Partial results showed the referendum had failed as not enough valid votes had been cast.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban wins fourth term with comfortable margin

Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban scored a fourth consecutive landslide win in Sunday's election.

Hungary: Viktor Orban scores fourth consecutive win in general elections

Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orban has scored a fourth consecutive landslide win. Official results showed Orban's party winning a fourth term in office in an election overshadowed by the war in neighbouring Ukraine.

Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party bags a two-thirds majority in election

Hungary election result: Viktor Orban secures fourth consecutive win

This Sunday, Hungary's nearly 8 million voters will elect 199 members of the country's national assembly. Now, Victor Orban's ambitions hang in the balance as his close relationship with Vladimir Putin comes under the spotlight.

Victor Orban's dream of two decades in power hangs in balance

Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto talks to WION. Hear what Hungarian FM Peter Szijjarto says about the India-Hungary bilateral relationship and Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Straight Talk with Hungarian FM Peter Szijjarto

A Ukrainian politician’s wife has been caught in Hungary by authorities with $28 million and €1.3 million in cash stashed in suitcases, according to Ukrainian media outlets. &nbsp;

The husband of the woman is former Ukrainian Member of Parliament Igor Kotvitsky. The 52-year-old politician was once one of the wealthiest MPs of the country. &nbsp;

The woman, Anastasia Kotvitska, had taken the cash through a refugee border crossing into the European Union while fleeing the war-torn country. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-looking-to-use-biological-chemical-weapons-in-ukraine-says-biden-464442">Putin looking to use biological, chemical weapons in Ukraine, claims Biden</a>

A photograph of six suitcases, which were full of cash, has also been shared. &nbsp;

The amount was declared by Hungarian authorities as per law. &nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
She knew precisely where to flee to. The wife of former Ukrainian MP Ihor Kotvitskyi declared 28 millionUSD and 1.3 million euros when entering Hungary. Kotvitskyi has faced allegations of corruption in the past. Confiscation of the money and redistribution would be a good start. <a href="https://t.co/Eu1SSPErl6">pic.twitter.com/Eu1SSPErl6</a>
— ThaiMythbuster (@thaimythbuster) <a href="https://twitter.com/thaimythbuster/status/1505999838185680897?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The authorities have also registered a criminal case against Kotvitska for failing to declare the large sum of money, the reports said. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/any-compromises-to-be-agreed-with-russia-to-end-war-will-need-referendum-says-ukrainian-president-zelensky-464448" hreflang="en">Any compromises to be agreed with Russia to end war will need referendum, says Ukrainian President Zelensky</a>

Kotvitsky said his wife had left the country to give birth and denied reports that she was carrying huge amount of money, as per The Times report. &nbsp;

Before closing social media account, Kotvitsky said, “All my money is in Ukrainian banks, I did not take anything out.” &nbsp;&nbsp;

Kotvitska did not declare cash when she left Ukraine at the Vilok border crossing but the money was found at the entry in Hungary, Obozrevatel newspaper reported. She then declared that she brought the money into Hungary. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The development has raised several eyebrows and triggered angry reactions. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A Ukrainian politician’s wife has been caught in Hungary by authorities with $28 million and €1.3 million in cash stashed in suitcases, according to Ukrainian media outlets.

A Ukrainian politician’s wife has been caught in Hungary by authorities with $28 million and €1.3 million in cash stashed in suitcases, according to Ukrainian media outlets. The husband of the woman is former Ukrainian Member of Parliament Igor Kotvitsky. The 52-year-old politician was once one of the wealthiest MPs of the country. The woman, Anastasia Kotvitska, had taken the cash through a refugee border crossing into the European Union while fleeing the war-torn country. Also Read: Putin looking to use biological, chemical weapons in Ukraine, claims Biden A photograph of six suitcases, which were full of cash, has also been shared. The amount was declared by Hungarian authorities as per law. She knew precisely where to flee to. The wife of former Ukrainian MP Ihor Kotvitskyi declared 28 millionUSD and 1.3 million euros when entering Hungary. Kotvitskyi has faced allegations of corruption in the past. Confiscation of the money and redistribution would be a good start. pic.twitter.com/Eu1SSPErl6 — ThaiMythbuster (@thaimythbuster) March 21, 2022 × The authorities have also registered a criminal case against Kotvitska for failing to declare the large sum of money, the reports said. Also Read: Any compromises to be agreed with Russia to end war will need referendum, says Ukrainian President Zelensky Kotvitsky said his wife had left the country to give birth and denied reports that she was carrying huge amount of money, as per The Times report. Before closing social media account, Kotvitsky said, “All my money is in Ukrainian banks, I did not take anything out.” Kotvitska did not declare cash when she left Ukraine at the Vilok border crossing but the money was found at the entry in Hungary, Obozrevatel newspaper reported. She then declared that she brought the money into Hungary. The development has raised several eyebrows and triggered angry reactions. (With inputs from agencies)

Ukrainian politician’s wife nabbed with $28 mn, €1.3 mn cash stashed in suitcases in Hungary

Its not just France that is going to poll this April, Hungary also is gearing up for its parliamentary election with a war next door. The Hungarian Prime Minister has a hard task ahead of him with Putin's invasion of Ukraine, watch this report to know more.

Hungary’s Orban tries to shed his Putin links ahead of Elections

Hungary and Poland have lost EU funding fight over laws after the top court dismissed challenges. EU can stop aid to Poland and Hungary.

Hungary and Poland lose EU funding fight over laws as top court dismisses challenges

Europe’s top court ruled Wednesday that the European Union can withhold funding from member countries failing to uphold the rule of law, arming the bloc to step up its efforts to defend its core values.

The ruling shoots down a lawsuit by Hungary and Poland, the two countries most directly and immediately affected, whose governments the European Union has been increasingly at odds with, and opens a new chapter in the dispute that could see the countries losing out on tens of billions of euros in aid.

The European Court of Justice ruling, which is final, provides ample legal and political cover to the European Commission, the bloc’s executive, to flex its muscle and withhold vital aid to the two countries over what it has long seen as a pernicious and deliberate illiberal drift away from EU standards.

The timing of the ruling makes the court’s decision politically explosive. Hungary’s national elections are just weeks away, and the European Union is trying to close ranks in the face of Russian aggression against Ukraine, a major threat of war at its eastern borders, even though any actual funding cuts could be months away.

The court had been called upon to rule whether a European Commission mechanism that would tie disbursing funds from its budget to the condition that a recipient member state is upholding standards such as judicial independence and transparent fund expenditure, had a sound legal basis. The ruling cannot be appealed, but member states will be able to appeal a possible decision to have funds withheld, when and if that comes about.

The decision was welcomed by a chorus of European actors across the political spectrum, in a rare show of unity. Similarly, several EU members, often at odds over difficult political issues and reluctant to pick sides against one another, said the ruling was a positive development, highlighting the growing isolation of Hungary and Poland.

In a tweet, the German foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, said the rule of law is the foundation of the European Union. “Violations not only cost our credibility, but our cohesion,” she added.

In Budapest, shortly after Hungary and Poland’s challenge was dismissed, Judit Varga, Orban’s justice minister, accused the high court of rendering a “political judgment.”

Zbigniew Ziobro, Poland’s justice minister, said on Twitter that Wednesday was “a grim date that will be noted in history books.” Ziobro, the leader of Poland’s far-right junior coalition partner, added that the mechanism was introduced to “blackmail member countries financially,” to “rebuild the European Union into a federal state, which excludes the existence of national states.”

For Poland, the biggest recipient of EU money, and Hungary, where the population is overwhelmingly pro-European Union, the ruling bites in both real and symbolic ways.

“The power of the EU is where the money is. And attaching some rule-of-law conditionality to EU funds is a very concrete way of making sure that the EU does not send money to the countries that actively promote rule of law breaches and destroy democracy, because otherwise, the EU is also supporting these kinds of policies,” said Sophie Pornschlegel, a senior policy analyst at the Brussels-based European Policy Center.

In the 2014-2020 EU budget, Poland received more funds than any of the 28 member states (Britain left the EU in 2020 and the bloc now has 27 members), with 104 billion euros — or $118 billion — in aid in total. Hungary, a much smaller country, got 40 billion euros, or $45 billion. The two would be eligible for even larger amounts in the five-year budget that ends in 2027.

Separately, the commission has frozen access for both nations to a special EU post-COVID stimulus package over concerns about corruption and the independence of the judiciary.

The use of this mechanism is the latest in a series of legal and political battles over what EU officials see as a deliberate attempt by the government of Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, to capture the state apparatus and funding to benefit himself and his allies. Poland’s case is quite different, but it is also in conflict with the EU over the government’s moves to control the judiciary and dismantle its independent function.

The ruling on Wednesday introduces real-world risks to Orban at a precarious time. He faces his stiffest challenge from a six-party coalition in Hungary’s national elections on April 3, and Hungary’s ability to draw on EU funding has significant implications for the country’s economic outlook.

Losing out on EU money is a touchy subject for Orban, whose stewardship of Hungary since 2010 has produced dramatic qualitative declines in assessments of Hungarian democracy, rule of law, press freedom and corruption.

“They are waging a holy war, a rule-of-law jihad,” he said Saturday in an address to the nation. “And words, my friends, rarely help in the face of jihad. We must show strength! Let the Reconquista begin!”

Ever since joining the EU in 2004, Hungary has been the beneficiary of generous subsidies to help its economy close the gap with wealthier Western neighbors. But critics have long argued that since Orban returned to power in 2010, these funds have been used to underwrite his quest to transform Hungary into what he has proudly called an “illiberal state.”

While the Hungarian premier has used a vast propaganda machine to shield Hungarians from the nuances of his conflicts with the EU, the strategy highlights a peculiar domestic constraint. “The Hungarian electorate is extremely supportive of EU membership," said Balint Ruff, a Hungarian political strategist. “It’s at nearly an all-time high.”

Laurent Pech, professor of European law at Middlesex University in London, said, “there is more awareness of industrial-scale corruption, and it has become much more costly for European actors to ignore corruption in Hungary.”

“It would be easier for the commission to start with Hungary,” he added, calling it “a more clear-cut case.”

Poland, which wants European support as the risk of Russian aggression grows, is less clear cut, experts note, and the Ukraine crisis could take the edge off the ruling.

“The Ukraine crisis is already taking attention away from this, and there will be a very strong push to stand united if the situation with Ukraine escalates,” said Daniel Freund, a German member of the European Parliament with the Greens.

Freund said he also worried that the commission would try to find ways to blunt the impact of the ruling, to shield itself from accusations that it is interfering politically in Hungary’s elections.

Any real impact on funding on the grounds of this decision would be months down the line, he said, so it was imperative that the commission took the first step to trigger the process as soon as possible after the court ruling.

“If I have to make a bet right now, I would fear that not much will happen before the Hungarian election,” he said, which is what Orban wanted all along, “so that he can be reelected without anyone saying anything bad.”

Europe’s top court ruled Wednesday that the European Union can withhold funding from member countries failing to uphold the rule of law, arming the bloc to step up its efforts to defend its core values.

Europe’s top court ruled Wednesday that the European Union can withhold funding from member countries failing to uphold the rule of law, arming the bloc to step up its efforts to defend its core values. The ruling shoots down a lawsuit by Hungary and Poland, the two countries most directly and immediately affected, whose governments the European Union has been increasingly at odds with, and opens a new chapter in the dispute that could see the countries losing out on tens of billions of euros in aid. The European Court of Justice ruling, which is final, provides ample legal and political cover to the European Commission, the bloc’s executive, to flex its muscle and withhold vital aid to the two countries over what it has long seen as a pernicious and deliberate illiberal drift away from EU standards. The timing of the ruling makes the court’s decision politically explosive. Hungary’s national elections are just weeks away, and the European Union is trying to close ranks in the face of Russian aggression against Ukraine, a major threat of war at its eastern borders, even though any actual funding cuts could be months away. The court had been called upon to rule whether a European Commission mechanism that would tie disbursing funds from its budget to the condition that a recipient member state is upholding standards such as judicial independence and transparent fund expenditure, had a sound legal basis. The ruling cannot be appealed, but member states will be able to appeal a possible decision to have funds withheld, when and if that comes about. The decision was welcomed by a chorus of European actors across the political spectrum, in a rare show of unity. Similarly, several EU members, often at odds over difficult political issues and reluctant to pick sides against one another, said the ruling was a positive development, highlighting the growing isolation of Hungary and Poland. In a tweet, the German foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, said the rule of law is the foundation of the European Union. “Violations not only cost our credibility, but our cohesion,” she added. In Budapest, shortly after Hungary and Poland’s challenge was dismissed, Judit Varga, Orban’s justice minister, accused the high court of rendering a “political judgment.” Zbigniew Ziobro, Poland’s justice minister, said on Twitter that Wednesday was “a grim date that will be noted in history books.” Ziobro, the leader of Poland’s far-right junior coalition partner, added that the mechanism was introduced to “blackmail member countries financially,” to “rebuild the European Union into a federal state, which excludes the existence of national states.” For Poland, the biggest recipient of EU money, and Hungary, where the population is overwhelmingly pro-European Union, the ruling bites in both real and symbolic ways. “The power of the EU is where the money is. And attaching some rule-of-law conditionality to EU funds is a very concrete way of making sure that the EU does not send money to the countries that actively promote rule of law breaches and destroy democracy, because otherwise, the EU is also supporting these kinds of policies,” said Sophie Pornschlegel, a senior policy analyst at the Brussels-based European Policy Center. In the 2014-2020 EU budget, Poland received more funds than any of the 28 member states (Britain left the EU in 2020 and the bloc now has 27 members), with 104 billion euros — or $118 billion — in aid in total. Hungary, a much smaller country, got 40 billion euros, or $45 billion. The two would be eligible for even larger amounts in the five-year budget that ends in 2027. Separately, the commission has frozen access for both nations to a special EU post-COVID stimulus package over concerns about corruption and the independence of the judiciary. The use of this mechanism is the latest in a series of legal and political battles over what EU officials see as a deliberate attempt by the government of Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, to capture the state apparatus and funding to benefit himself and his allies. Poland’s case is quite different, but it is also in conflict with the EU over the government’s moves to control the judiciary and dismantle its independent function. The ruling on Wednesday introduces real-world risks to Orban at a precarious time. He faces his stiffest challenge from a six-party coalition in Hungary’s national elections on April 3, and Hungary’s ability to draw on EU funding has significant implications for the country’s economic outlook. Losing out on EU money is a touchy subject for Orban, whose stewardship of Hungary since 2010 has produced dramatic qualitative declines in assessments of Hungarian democracy, rule of law, press freedom and corruption. “They are waging a holy war, a rule-of-law jihad,” he said Saturday in an address to the nation. “And words, my friends, rarely help in the face of jihad. We must show strength! Let the Reconquista begin!” Ever since joining the EU in 2004, Hungary has been the beneficiary of generous subsidies to help its economy close the gap with wealthier Western neighbors. But critics have long argued that since Orban returned to power in 2010, these funds have been used to underwrite his quest to transform Hungary into what he has proudly called an “illiberal state.” While the Hungarian premier has used a vast propaganda machine to shield Hungarians from the nuances of his conflicts with the EU, the strategy highlights a peculiar domestic constraint. “The Hungarian electorate is extremely supportive of EU membership," said Balint Ruff, a Hungarian political strategist. “It’s at nearly an all-time high.” Laurent Pech, professor of European law at Middlesex University in London, said, “there is more awareness of industrial-scale corruption, and it has become much more costly for European actors to ignore corruption in Hungary.” “It would be easier for the commission to start with Hungary,” he added, calling it “a more clear-cut case.” Poland, which wants European support as the risk of Russian aggression grows, is less clear cut, experts note, and the Ukraine crisis could take the edge off the ruling. “The Ukraine crisis is already taking attention away from this, and there will be a very strong push to stand united if the situation with Ukraine escalates,” said Daniel Freund, a German member of the European Parliament with the Greens. Freund said he also worried that the commission would try to find ways to blunt the impact of the ruling, to shield itself from accusations that it is interfering politically in Hungary’s elections. Any real impact on funding on the grounds of this decision would be months down the line, he said, so it was imperative that the commission took the first step to trigger the process as soon as possible after the court ruling. “If I have to make a bet right now, I would fear that not much will happen before the Hungarian election,” he said, which is what Orban wanted all along, “so that he can be reelected without anyone saying anything bad.”

Top European Court rules EU can freeze aid to Poland and Hungary

Prime Minister Viktor Orban kicked off the official re-election period in Hungary. Orban, in his annual state of the nation speech, accused his opponents of planning a return to economic mismanagement.

Hungary’s PM Orban kicks off re-election campaign, delivers state of nation speech

A think tank linked to the Hungarian government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has invited Donald Trump to visit Hungary.

This Center for Fundamental Rights' invitation comes as Orbán prepares for a closely fought election due on 3 April. In what is expected to be the biggest challenge to his rule since he was elected prime minister twelve years ago, Orbán Fidesz party faces a united opposition coalition.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-endorses-hungarys-far-right-prime-minister-442078">Trump endorses Hungary’s far-right Prime Minister</a>

The Guardian reports that the far-right Hungarian prime minister hopes Trump's visit to Budapest in the coming weeks will help him in his reelection campaign.

Trump has not yet responded to the invitation, however, if he agrees, the visit would be his first abroad since he lost the 2020 presidential election.

Having the former US president visit in person would be considered a significant campaign boost.

Orbán was an early supporter of Trump, endorsing him as early as summer 2016, and he has publically backed him in the 2020 elections. Donald Trump endorsed Orbán publicly for the April election after speaking with him by telephone in January.&nbsp;

“These visits have a huge influence in the Hungarian conservative community, because they see [Trump] as an icon, as someone who spent his presidency in a strong headwind,” said a source close to Fidesz.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-national-archives-requests-a-legal-investigation-into-donald-trump-report-451909">US National Archives requests a legal investigation into Donald Trump: Report</a>

An ex-Republican staffer claims that Trump is known to be fear contracting Covid while travelling abroad and may prefer to stay at home.

The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is being held in Budapest, Hungary, from 25-26 March, and it's likely that Trump has been invited for that. A European country will host the flagship conservative event for the first time.

A number of US senators will attend the conference, as will Santiago Abascal, the leader of the Vox party of Spain, and Eduardo Bolsonaro, Jair Bolsonaro's son, according to Miklos Szanthó, the director of the Center for Fundamental Rights.

Hungarian government sources say Fidesz hopes Trump will join Orbán as the keynote speaker for the event.

Watch |&nbsp;Orban tightens grip over Hungary, introduces policies hostile to LGBTQ people

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/orban-tightens-grip-over-hungary-introduces-policies-hostile-to-lgbtq-people-411657/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

During a meeting at the White House in 2019, Trump told Orbán that the two men were similar: "You're respected all over Europe. Probably a bit like me, a little bit controversial, but that’s OK”.

According to David Cornstein, a long-term friend of Trump who served as ambassador to Hungary, Trump admired Orbán for his strongman image and his control of the Hungarian political scene. Cornstein commented in 2019 that Trump would love to be in the position Viktor Orbán enjoys.

Orbán's relationship with Washington soured after Trump left office. Relations with the Trump camp, however, have remained positive. In the recent Democracy Summit hosted by Joe Biden, Hungary was the only EU member that was not invited.

A think tank linked to the Hungarian government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has invited Donald Trump to visit Hungary. This Center for Fundamental Rights' invitation comes as Orbán prepares for a closely fought election due on 3 April.

A think tank linked to the Hungarian government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has invited Donald Trump to visit Hungary. This Center for Fundamental Rights' invitation comes as Orbán prepares for a closely fought election due on 3 April. In what is expected to be the biggest challenge to his rule since he was elected prime minister twelve years ago, Orbán Fidesz party faces a united opposition coalition. Also read | Trump endorses Hungary’s far-right Prime Minister The Guardian reports that the far-right Hungarian prime minister hopes Trump's visit to Budapest in the coming weeks will help him in his reelection campaign. Trump has not yet responded to the invitation, however, if he agrees, the visit would be his first abroad since he lost the 2020 presidential election. Having the former US president visit in person would be considered a significant campaign boost. Orbán was an early supporter of Trump, endorsing him as early as summer 2016, and he has publically backed him in the 2020 elections. Donald Trump endorsed Orbán publicly for the April election after speaking with him by telephone in January. “These visits have a huge influence in the Hungarian conservative community, because they see [Trump] as an icon, as someone who spent his presidency in a strong headwind,” said a source close to Fidesz. Also read | US National Archives requests a legal investigation into Donald Trump: Report An ex-Republican staffer claims that Trump is known to be fear contracting Covid while travelling abroad and may prefer to stay at home. The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is being held in Budapest, Hungary, from 25-26 March, and it's likely that Trump has been invited for that. A European country will host the flagship conservative event for the first time. A number of US senators will attend the conference, as will Santiago Abascal, the leader of the Vox party of Spain, and Eduardo Bolsonaro, Jair Bolsonaro's son, according to Miklos Szanthó, the director of the Center for Fundamental Rights. Hungarian government sources say Fidesz hopes Trump will join Orbán as the keynote speaker for the event. Watch | Orban tightens grip over Hungary, introduces policies hostile to LGBTQ people During a meeting at the White House in 2019, Trump told Orbán that the two men were similar: "You're respected all over Europe. Probably a bit like me, a little bit controversial, but that’s OK”. According to David Cornstein, a long-term friend of Trump who served as ambassador to Hungary, Trump admired Orbán for his strongman image and his control of the Hungarian political scene. Cornstein commented in 2019 that Trump would love to be in the position Viktor Orbán enjoys. Orbán's relationship with Washington soured after Trump left office. Relations with the Trump camp, however, have remained positive. In the recent Democracy Summit hosted by Joe Biden, Hungary was the only EU member that was not invited.

Hungarian far-right PM invites Donald Trump hoping for a positive boost in upcoming elections

For several days now NATO has been trying to put up some kind of a united front but the question of course is how united is the NATO's military alliance exactly. There are cracks that are beginning to be very visible in the alliance as tensions continue to escalate along the eastern border with Ukraine, however, in focus particularly are the NATO members Poland and Hungary.

NATO's united front cracking under pressure? How united is NATO's military alliance?

Journalists and activists in Hungary who were targeted by Pegasus spyware are taking legal action against the government and Israeli company NSO, making the case reportedly a first in the world that seeks to hold the state accountable for alleged snooping.

It is being said that the cases could set a template for other journalists around the world who were targeted by their governments.

An independent investigation carried out by a consortium of news outlets under the Pegasus Project revealed that various&nbsp;countries abused the invasive spyware, meant for use against terrorists and serious criminals, to snoop on journalists.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-spyware-row-nso-may-shut-down-pegasus-unit-436902">Amid spyware row, NSO may shut down Pegasus unit</a>

The malware allows its operator to take control of a target’s mobile device, access all data, even from encrypted messaging apps, and turn on audio or video recording.

“It is unacceptable that the operations of the national security services, which are necessarily carried out in secret, should become a tool of oppression rather than a means of protecting citizens,” Ádám Remport, of the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, who is filing the case on behalf of journalists and activists, told The Guardian.

The HCLU said it will pursue various legal avenues, including complaints to the ministers overseeing the secret services in Hungary, requests to the security services to divulge information, and legal action in the courts.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nsos-notorious-pegasus-spyware-secretly-bought-by-police-in-germany-reports-411667">Also Read:&nbsp;NSO's notorious Pegasus spyware secretly bought by police in Germany</a>

After deflecting the question for months, a senior government had officially&nbsp;acknowledged that&nbsp;Hungary&nbsp;had indeed acquired Pegasus to snoop on journalists and activists.&nbsp;

The NSO Group has been mired in controversy following revelations that its spyware was used in several countries against journalists, activists, and even US diplomats.

The US barred the firm from accessing American technology last year, saying its tools have been used by repressive regimes, and Facebook&nbsp;and&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;have filed lawsuits against NSO over hacks against their products.

(With inputs from agencies)

Journalists and activists in Hungary who were targeted by Pegasus spyware are taking legal action against the government and Israeli company NSO, making the case reportedly a first in the world that seeks to hold the state accountable for alleged snooping.

Journalists and activists in Hungary who were targeted by Pegasus spyware are taking legal action against the government and Israeli company NSO, making the case reportedly a first in the world that seeks to hold the state accountable for alleged snooping. It is being said that the cases could set a template for other journalists around the world who were targeted by their governments. An independent investigation carried out by a consortium of news outlets under the Pegasus Project revealed that various countries abused the invasive spyware, meant for use against terrorists and serious criminals, to snoop on journalists. Also read | Amid spyware row, NSO may shut down Pegasus unit The malware allows its operator to take control of a target’s mobile device, access all data, even from encrypted messaging apps, and turn on audio or video recording. “It is unacceptable that the operations of the national security services, which are necessarily carried out in secret, should become a tool of oppression rather than a means of protecting citizens,” Ádám Remport, of the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, who is filing the case on behalf of journalists and activists, told The Guardian. The HCLU said it will pursue various legal avenues, including complaints to the ministers overseeing the secret services in Hungary, requests to the security services to divulge information, and legal action in the courts. Also Read: NSO's notorious Pegasus spyware secretly bought by police in Germany After deflecting the question for months, a senior government had officially acknowledged that Hungary had indeed acquired Pegasus to snoop on journalists and activists. The NSO Group has been mired in controversy following revelations that its spyware was used in several countries against journalists, activists, and even US diplomats. The US barred the firm from accessing American technology last year, saying its tools have been used by repressive regimes, and Facebook and Apple have filed lawsuits against NSO over hacks against their products. (With inputs from agencies)

Pegasus spyware: Hungarian journalists, activists to sue govt over snooping allegations

Former President Donald Trump endorsed Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, on Monday, formally pledging his “complete support” to a far-right foreign leader who has touted turning Hungary into an “illiberal democracy.”

Orban and his party have steadily consolidated power in Hungary by weakening the country’s independent and democratic institutions — rewriting election laws to favor his Fidesz party, changing school textbooks, curbing press freedoms, overhauling the country’s Constitution and changing the composition of the judiciary.

The actions have caused consternation in the European Union, to which Hungary belongs, but also made Orban something of a cause célèbre in conservative American political circles, following years of an aggressive influence operation in the United States.

Last fall, Tucker Carlson, the top-rated Fox News host, broadcast from Budapest for a week, calling the nation a place “with a lot of lessons for the rest of us.” Former Vice President Mike Pence visited Hungary last year for a conference on conservative values. And the American Conservative Union has been promoting plans for a gathering there dubbed #CPACHungary later this year.

Orban was an early supporter of Trump, endorsing him in the summer of 2016. After he won, Trump granted Orban a meeting in the Oval Office in 2019. The Hungarian leader had been denied such an audience since 1998.

After that meeting, Trump said Orban was “probably, like me, a little bit controversial, but that’s OK.”

Orban again publicly backed Trump in 2020. Now, Trump is doing the same ahead of the Hungarian elections, scheduled for this spring.

In his endorsement Monday, Trump hailed Orban as a “strong leader” who has “done a powerful and wonderful job in protecting Hungary, stopping illegal immigration, creating jobs, trade, and should be allowed to continue to do so in the upcoming election.”

It is Trump’s second endorsement of a foreign leader since leaving the White House. He endorsed Jair Bolsonaro, the president of Brazil, last year.

Former President Donald Trump endorsed Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, on Monday, formally pledging his “complete support” to a far-right foreign leader who has touted turning Hungary into an “illiberal democracy.

Former President Donald Trump endorsed Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, on Monday, formally pledging his “complete support” to a far-right foreign leader who has touted turning Hungary into an “illiberal democracy.” Orban and his party have steadily consolidated power in Hungary by weakening the country’s independent and democratic institutions — rewriting election laws to favor his Fidesz party, changing school textbooks, curbing press freedoms, overhauling the country’s Constitution and changing the composition of the judiciary. The actions have caused consternation in the European Union, to which Hungary belongs, but also made Orban something of a cause célèbre in conservative American political circles, following years of an aggressive influence operation in the United States. Last fall, Tucker Carlson, the top-rated Fox News host, broadcast from Budapest for a week, calling the nation a place “with a lot of lessons for the rest of us.” Former Vice President Mike Pence visited Hungary last year for a conference on conservative values. And the American Conservative Union has been promoting plans for a gathering there dubbed #CPACHungary later this year. Orban was an early supporter of Trump, endorsing him in the summer of 2016. After he won, Trump granted Orban a meeting in the Oval Office in 2019. The Hungarian leader had been denied such an audience since 1998. After that meeting, Trump said Orban was “probably, like me, a little bit controversial, but that’s OK.” Orban again publicly backed Trump in 2020. Now, Trump is doing the same ahead of the Hungarian elections, scheduled for this spring. In his endorsement Monday, Trump hailed Orban as a “strong leader” who has “done a powerful and wonderful job in protecting Hungary, stopping illegal immigration, creating jobs, trade, and should be allowed to continue to do so in the upcoming election.” It is Trump’s second endorsement of a foreign leader since leaving the White House. He endorsed Jair Bolsonaro, the president of Brazil, last year.

Trump endorses Hungary’s far-right Prime Minister

After long indulging him, leaders in the European Union now widely consider one of their own, Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary, an existential threat to a bloc that holds itself up as a model of human rights and the rule of law.

Orban has spent the past decade steadily building his “illiberal state,” as he proudly calls Hungary, with the help of lavish EU funding. Even as his project widened fissures in the bloc, his fellow national leaders mostly looked the other way, committed to staying out of one another’s affairs.

But now Orban’s defiance and intransigence has had an important, if unintended, effect: serving as a catalyst for an often-sluggish EU system to act to safeguard the democratic principles that are the foundation of the bloc.

Early this year, the European Court of Justice will issue a landmark decision on whether the union has the authority to make its funds to member states conditional on meeting the bloc’s core values. Doing so would allow Brussels to deny billions of euros to countries that violate those values.

The bloc has consistently worked on political consensus among national leaders. But Orban has pushed Brussels toward a threshold it had long avoided: making membership subject to financial punishments, not merely political ones.

The new frontier could help solve an old problem — what to do about bad actors in its ranks — while creating new ones. Not least, it could invite the European Commission, the bloc’s executive branch, to exercise a new level of interference in the affairs of member states.

How Orban has forced the EU to such a juncture, and why it seemed helpless to stop him for so long, says much about the bloc’s founding assumptions and why it has stumbled in the face of populist and nationalist challenges.

Interviews with more than a dozen current and former European officials show how sentiments toward Orban and his illiberal project evolved from complacency and incomprehension to a recognition that he had become a serious internal threat — despite Hungary’s having fewer people than Paris and a language so esoteric that it bears no relationship to those of its neighbors.

The willful neglect was encapsulated neatly in 2015 at a meeting, when Jean-Claude Juncker, then the European Commission’s president, saw Orban arriving and said, “The dictator is coming,” before greeting him with “dictator,” and giving him a friendly pat on the face.

No one in power wanted to confront Orban over issues like rule of law and corruption — especially not his fellow national leaders, who each have a seat on the powerful European Council.

“At the council myself I felt the reluctance of Orban’s peers to deal with these kind of issues,” said Luuk van Middelaar, an aide to Herman Van Rompuy when he was council president. He added that the council was “like a club, where Viktor is just one of them — and they are political animals, and they respect each other for the simple fact of having won an election.”

The leaders “prefer not to deal with hot potatoes or each other’s business when they can avoid it,” van Middelaar said.

Orban faces new elections this spring against a formally united but extremely diverse set of opposition parties. But he has become a model for the politics of identity and religion, not just in Poland but in the United States, as well.

On Monday, former President Donald Trump endorsed Orban for reelection, pledging “complete support.” Orban was an early supporter of Trump, endorsing him in the summer of 2016 and again in 2020. Orban said Trump was “probably, like me, a little bit controversial, but that’s OK.”

Some European lawmakers recognized early on that Orban was trampling on democratic norms but were stymied by national leaders, particularly those from the European People’s Party, the powerful center-right political grouping that has dominated the European Parliament for the past decade.

Among those conservatives who protected Orban was Angela Merkel, the chancellor of Germany at the time. German companies had major investments in Hungary, and Merkel saw the Hungarian leader as a political ally in Brussels. One prominent member of the European People’s Party said Merkel and her aides brushed off complaints about Orban, saying that he could be difficult, but that it was important to keep him in the family.

“The biggest failing — the one that we are still paying the price for today — is the European Council,” said Rui Tavares, a former European legislator who helped write a report on Hungary’s violations adopted in 2013. “The European Council did nothing.”

When Orban proposed — and later introduced — a new constitution that violated European principles, Didier Reynders, then Belgium’s minister of foreign and European affairs, said he tried to raise the problem in a meeting with EU leaders in 2011 but was shut down.

“The reaction was that this is not an issue for the member states,” said Reynders, who is now the EU commissioner for justice, adding that “maybe the commission, maybe the court” should deal with it.

“But now it’s a permanent discussion,” he said.

Ivan Krastev, a Bulgarian analyst of Europe, said Orban was careful for several years after his election in 2010 “not to cross Brussels’ red lines but to dance along them in what he called ‘the peacock dance.’”

Krastev said many European leaders assumed that the nations that joined the bloc in 2004 would be grateful, relatively compliant partners and miscalculated how “countries like Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic felt later that you have to assert your own identity and reject Brussels to differing degrees.”

Orban’s party adopted the new constitution and a new media law that curbed press freedom. It overhauled the country’s justice system, removed the head of its Supreme Court and created an office to oversee the courts led by the wife of a prominent member of the governing party, Fidesz. Election laws were changed to favor the party.

External factors strengthened Orban as well, including in 2015 when a record number of migrants made their way to Europe and when the right-wing Law and Justice party of Jaroslaw Kaczynski came to power in Poland. He suddenly had an ally there, and his tough stance against migrants won him support elsewhere, too.

“What liberated Orban was 2015 and the migration crisis,” said Mark Leonard, the director of the European Council on Foreign Relations. “He was suddenly standing for more than Hungary but for wider issues of migration, with support in Germany and Austria and the other Central European states, and that gave him power.”

A sharper inflection point came in May 2018 at a meeting between Orban and the leaders of the European People’s Party: Joseph Daul, the party president, and Manfred Weber, the German Christian Democrat who ran Parliament.

They warned him that his party risked being expelled from the parliamentary grouping. Fresh from another electoral victory the month before, Orban “felt he was on steroids” and struck back, according to an official who was immediately briefed about the meeting.

“If you try to kick me out, I’ll destroy you,” Orban said, according to the official.

It would take 10 months before Fidesz would be suspended. Two years after that, in March, Orban quit the conservative alliance when it became clear that it was going to oust his party.

Weber still regrets the loss of Fidesz. “On one level, it is a relief,” he said. “But Orban leaving is not a victory, but a defeat” in the effort to hold the center-right together as “a broad people’s party.”

It has helped Orban that the EU has few and ineffective instruments for punishing a backsliding nation. Even the Lisbon Treaty, which gave enhanced powers to the European Parliament, has essentially one unusable tool: Article 7, which can remove a country’s voting rights, but only if passed by unanimity.

In 2017, Frans Timmermans, then the European Commission first vice president responsible for the rule of law, initiated the article against Poland. The European Parliament did the same against Hungary in 2018.

But both measures inevitably stalled because the two countries protect each other.

The treaty also allows the commission to bring infringement procedures — legal charges — against member states for violating EU law. But the process is slow, involving letters and responses and appeals, and final decisions are up to the European Court of Justice. Most cases are settled before reaching the court.

But according to studies by R. Daniel Kelemen of Rutgers University and Tommaso Pavone of the University of Oslo, the commission sharply reduced infringement cases after the addition of new member states in 2004. José Manuel Barroso, a former commission president, “bought into this to work more cooperatively with governments and not just sue them,” Kelemen said. Barroso declined to comment.

Attitudes have shifted. With taxpayer money at stake, the next seven-year budget in the balance and the disregard for shared values shown by Orban and Kaczynski on leaders’ minds, Brussels may have finally found a useful tool to affect domestic politics, with a mix of lawsuits charging infringement of European treaties combined with severe financial consequences.

A marker has finally been laid down, Reynders said.

The big moment comes this month, when the European Court of Justice issues its ruling.

If Hungary and Poland lose the case, as expected, it is unclear what will happen if both countries simply refuse to comply. The EU will be thrust deeper into unknown territory.

After long indulging him, leaders in the European Union now widely consider one of their own, Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary, an existential threat to a bloc that holds itself up as a model of human rights and the rule of law.

After long indulging him, leaders in the European Union now widely consider one of their own, Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary, an existential threat to a bloc that holds itself up as a model of human rights and the rule of law. Orban has spent the past decade steadily building his “illiberal state,” as he proudly calls Hungary, with the help of lavish EU funding. Even as his project widened fissures in the bloc, his fellow national leaders mostly looked the other way, committed to staying out of one another’s affairs. But now Orban’s defiance and intransigence has had an important, if unintended, effect: serving as a catalyst for an often-sluggish EU system to act to safeguard the democratic principles that are the foundation of the bloc. Early this year, the European Court of Justice will issue a landmark decision on whether the union has the authority to make its funds to member states conditional on meeting the bloc’s core values. Doing so would allow Brussels to deny billions of euros to countries that violate those values. The bloc has consistently worked on political consensus among national leaders. But Orban has pushed Brussels toward a threshold it had long avoided: making membership subject to financial punishments, not merely political ones. The new frontier could help solve an old problem — what to do about bad actors in its ranks — while creating new ones. Not least, it could invite the European Commission, the bloc’s executive branch, to exercise a new level of interference in the affairs of member states. How Orban has forced the EU to such a juncture, and why it seemed helpless to stop him for so long, says much about the bloc’s founding assumptions and why it has stumbled in the face of populist and nationalist challenges. Interviews with more than a dozen current and former European officials show how sentiments toward Orban and his illiberal project evolved from complacency and incomprehension to a recognition that he had become a serious internal threat — despite Hungary’s having fewer people than Paris and a language so esoteric that it bears no relationship to those of its neighbors. The willful neglect was encapsulated neatly in 2015 at a meeting, when Jean-Claude Juncker, then the European Commission’s president, saw Orban arriving and said, “The dictator is coming,” before greeting him with “dictator,” and giving him a friendly pat on the face. No one in power wanted to confront Orban over issues like rule of law and corruption — especially not his fellow national leaders, who each have a seat on the powerful European Council. “At the council myself I felt the reluctance of Orban’s peers to deal with these kind of issues,” said Luuk van Middelaar, an aide to Herman Van Rompuy when he was council president. He added that the council was “like a club, where Viktor is just one of them — and they are political animals, and they respect each other for the simple fact of having won an election.” The leaders “prefer not to deal with hot potatoes or each other’s business when they can avoid it,” van Middelaar said. Orban faces new elections this spring against a formally united but extremely diverse set of opposition parties. But he has become a model for the politics of identity and religion, not just in Poland but in the United States, as well. On Monday, former President Donald Trump endorsed Orban for reelection, pledging “complete support.” Orban was an early supporter of Trump, endorsing him in the summer of 2016 and again in 2020. Orban said Trump was “probably, like me, a little bit controversial, but that’s OK.” Some European lawmakers recognized early on that Orban was trampling on democratic norms but were stymied by national leaders, particularly those from the European People’s Party, the powerful center-right political grouping that has dominated the European Parliament for the past decade. Among those conservatives who protected Orban was Angela Merkel, the chancellor of Germany at the time. German companies had major investments in Hungary, and Merkel saw the Hungarian leader as a political ally in Brussels. One prominent member of the European People’s Party said Merkel and her aides brushed off complaints about Orban, saying that he could be difficult, but that it was important to keep him in the family. “The biggest failing — the one that we are still paying the price for today — is the European Council,” said Rui Tavares, a former European legislator who helped write a report on Hungary’s violations adopted in 2013. “The European Council did nothing.” When Orban proposed — and later introduced — a new constitution that violated European principles, Didier Reynders, then Belgium’s minister of foreign and European affairs, said he tried to raise the problem in a meeting with EU leaders in 2011 but was shut down. “The reaction was that this is not an issue for the member states,” said Reynders, who is now the EU commissioner for justice, adding that “maybe the commission, maybe the court” should deal with it. “But now it’s a permanent discussion,” he said. Ivan Krastev, a Bulgarian analyst of Europe, said Orban was careful for several years after his election in 2010 “not to cross Brussels’ red lines but to dance along them in what he called ‘the peacock dance.’” Krastev said many European leaders assumed that the nations that joined the bloc in 2004 would be grateful, relatively compliant partners and miscalculated how “countries like Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic felt later that you have to assert your own identity and reject Brussels to differing degrees.” Orban’s party adopted the new constitution and a new media law that curbed press freedom. It overhauled the country’s justice system, removed the head of its Supreme Court and created an office to oversee the courts led by the wife of a prominent member of the governing party, Fidesz. Election laws were changed to favor the party. External factors strengthened Orban as well, including in 2015 when a record number of migrants made their way to Europe and when the right-wing Law and Justice party of Jaroslaw Kaczynski came to power in Poland. He suddenly had an ally there, and his tough stance against migrants won him support elsewhere, too. “What liberated Orban was 2015 and the migration crisis,” said Mark Leonard, the director of the European Council on Foreign Relations. “He was suddenly standing for more than Hungary but for wider issues of migration, with support in Germany and Austria and the other Central European states, and that gave him power.” A sharper inflection point came in May 2018 at a meeting between Orban and the leaders of the European People’s Party: Joseph Daul, the party president, and Manfred Weber, the German Christian Democrat who ran Parliament. They warned him that his party risked being expelled from the parliamentary grouping. Fresh from another electoral victory the month before, Orban “felt he was on steroids” and struck back, according to an official who was immediately briefed about the meeting. “If you try to kick me out, I’ll destroy you,” Orban said, according to the official. It would take 10 months before Fidesz would be suspended. Two years after that, in March, Orban quit the conservative alliance when it became clear that it was going to oust his party. Weber still regrets the loss of Fidesz. “On one level, it is a relief,” he said. “But Orban leaving is not a victory, but a defeat” in the effort to hold the center-right together as “a broad people’s party.” It has helped Orban that the EU has few and ineffective instruments for punishing a backsliding nation. Even the Lisbon Treaty, which gave enhanced powers to the European Parliament, has essentially one unusable tool: Article 7, which can remove a country’s voting rights, but only if passed by unanimity. In 2017, Frans Timmermans, then the European Commission first vice president responsible for the rule of law, initiated the article against Poland. The European Parliament did the same against Hungary in 2018. But both measures inevitably stalled because the two countries protect each other. The treaty also allows the commission to bring infringement procedures — legal charges — against member states for violating EU law. But the process is slow, involving letters and responses and appeals, and final decisions are up to the European Court of Justice. Most cases are settled before reaching the court. But according to studies by R. Daniel Kelemen of Rutgers University and Tommaso Pavone of the University of Oslo, the commission sharply reduced infringement cases after the addition of new member states in 2004. José Manuel Barroso, a former commission president, “bought into this to work more cooperatively with governments and not just sue them,” Kelemen said. Barroso declined to comment. Attitudes have shifted. With taxpayer money at stake, the next seven-year budget in the balance and the disregard for shared values shown by Orban and Kaczynski on leaders’ minds, Brussels may have finally found a useful tool to affect domestic politics, with a mix of lawsuits charging infringement of European treaties combined with severe financial consequences. A marker has finally been laid down, Reynders said. The big moment comes this month, when the European Court of Justice issues its ruling. If Hungary and Poland lose the case, as expected, it is unclear what will happen if both countries simply refuse to comply. The EU will be thrust deeper into unknown territory.

How the EU allowed Hungary to become an illiberal model

Flicking a coin-shaped disc around a table-top, Hungarians still adore the simple sport of button football, a game they invented a century ago.

Century-old game of button football a cult sport in Hungary

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