Hungarian Politics

[Tamas]

And he went home with two dual-citizen ethnic Hungarians retrieved from Russian prisoner of war camps. Presented in the context of them being victims of Ukrainian "forced mobilisation" (as if there's another kind) and warmongering.

Orban also mentioned sending the military to patrol the streets because of increased terror risk in Europe because of the Iran war.

The latter he did as part of the migrant scare a couple of elections ago. I remember landing in Budapest for a visit of family and feeling like the airport was under siege, with APCs stationed at road entrances and such.

Hungary has become a mad and vile place under Orban.

[Syt]

https://apnews.com/article/hungary-orban-military-energy-protection-ukraine-e1b03c9cb550a38aca678c5439bbeeb6

Hungary's leader orders extra security at energy sites, claiming Ukraine plots disruptions

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Wednesday ordered extra security at critical energy infrastructure sites after claiming Ukraine was attempting to disrupt Hungary's energy system.

Budapest has recently accused Kyiv of deliberately holding back Russian oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline, which crosses Ukraine's territory. Ukrainian officials have denied the allegations, saying the pipeline, which feeds refineries in Hungary and Slovakia, was hit in a Russian drone attack.

Orbán has in recent weeks launched an aggressive anti-Ukraine campaign ahead of elections in April which will likely be the toughest he's faced in his 16 years in power. He has cast the neighboring country as a grave threat to Hungary's security, and himself as the only guarantor of its safety.

In a video posted to social media, Orbán, who maintains the closest relationship with the Kremlin of any European Union leader, said the Ukrainian government was using "an oil blockade" to exert pressure on Hungary and that Hungarian national security services showed Ukraine was "preparing further actions to disrupt the operation of Hungary's energy system." He didn't provide details or evidence for his claims.

"We will deploy soldiers and the necessary equipment to repel attacks near key energy facilities," Orbán said. "The police will patrol with increased forces around designated power plants, distribution stations and control centers."

Nearly every country in Europe has significantly reduced or entirely ceased Russian energy imports since Moscow launched its war in Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Yet Hungary and Slovakia, both EU and NATO members, have maintained and even increased supplies of Russian oil and gas, and received a temporary exemption from an EU policy prohibiting imports of Russian oil.

On Sunday, Hungary threatened to block a major, 90-billion euro ($106 billion) EU loan for Kyiv, and vetoed a new round of EU sanctions against Russia on Monday. Orbán has vowed to block any other EU measures to assist Ukraine until oil shipments resume.


Druzhba has been out of commission since Jan. 27. Repairs are hazardous and the pipeline can only operate reliably if Russia stops targeting energy infrastructure, according to Ukrainian officials.

Orbán also ordered Wednesday a ban on drone operations in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County, which borders Ukraine.

Orban has repeatedly accused Ukraine of "blackmail" to force him to give up his anti-Ukrainian positions, and of seeking to drive up energy prices in Hungary just weeks before a pivotal election.

Orbán, who retook office in 2010, faces the strongest challenge to his power in an election set for April 12. The EU's longest-serving leader and his right-wing Fidesz party are trailing in most independent polls to an upstart center-right challenger, Péter Magyar.

His party has pushed the message that if it loses the election, the Tisza party will drag the country into the war in Ukraine, bankrupting Hungary and getting its youth killed on the front lines.

False flag attack incoming?

[HisMajestyBOB]

Those perfidious Jews Ukrainians! 

[Valmy]

That's sweet, but the Ukrainians are just not that into you Orban.

[Tamas]

Hungarians seized a cash transfer travelling by road to the Ukrainian national Bank and detained the 7 Ukrainians escorting it. Their justification is blurry, something about money laundering for the "Ukrainian war maffia"

Zelensky allegedly threatened Orban during a Ukrainian government meeting. I don't know if it's true but Peter Magyar did the correct thing and publicly required Zelensky to withdraw such statements.

Clearly the foreign minister's trip to Russia, or rather, Orbán's call with Putin just the day before, was the start pistol for the final act.

The only question is where they will stop? Is this the end? Will there be an explosion at a power plant? Will one of Orbán's circle be sacrificed as a Charlie Kirk?

And what if none of this will move the polling needles enough? Because I don't think they would. Will they use of one the false flags to arrest Magyar or to postpone the elections? Who knows. It's going to a long month.

[Valmy]

A little baffled why Ukraine would attempt to do that passing through the territory of a hostile state.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

A little baffled why Ukraine would attempt to do that passing through the territory of a hostile state.

True, wondering too

[Syt]

Hungarians seized a cash transfer travelling by road to the Ukrainian national Bank and detained the 7 Ukrainians escorting it. Their justification is blurry, something about money laundering for the "Ukrainian war maffia"

Zelensky allegedly threatened Orban during a Ukrainian government meeting. I don't know if it's true but Peter Magyar did the correct thing and publicly required Zelensky to withdraw such statements.

Clearly the foreign minister's trip to Russia, or rather, Orbán's call with Putin just the day before, was the start pistol for the final act.

The only question is where they will stop? Is this the end? Will there be an explosion at a power plant? Will one of Orbán's circle be sacrificed as a Charlie Kirk?

And what if none of this will move the polling needles enough? Because I don't think they would. Will they use of one the false flags to arrest Magyar or to postpone the elections? Who knows. It's going to a long month.

Way I read it somewhere, Zelensky supposedly said he might give Orban's phone number to Ukrainian soldiers so they can ask him where the money is, but I don't know the original full quotes.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

Hungarians seized a cash transfer travelling by road to the Ukrainian national Bank and detained the 7 Ukrainians escorting it. Their justification is blurry, something about money laundering for the "Ukrainian war maffia"

Zelensky allegedly threatened Orban during a Ukrainian government meeting. I don't know if it's true but Peter Magyar did the correct thing and publicly required Zelensky to withdraw such statements.

Clearly the foreign minister's trip to Russia, or rather, Orbán's call with Putin just the day before, was the start pistol for the final act.

The only question is where they will stop? Is this the end? Will there be an explosion at a power plant? Will one of Orbán's circle be sacrificed as a Charlie Kirk?

And what if none of this will move the polling needles enough? Because I don't think they would. Will they use of one the false flags to arrest Magyar or to postpone the elections? Who knows. It's going to a long month.

Way I read it somewhere, Zelensky supposedly said he might give Orban's phone number to Ukrainian soldiers so they can ask him where the money is, but I don't know the original full quotes.

Shame it's Zelensky that has to say it. Those words and that strike team should have come from Brussels. A few years ago.

[Tamas]

Yeah it's hard to argue with the sentiment but it was a godsend to Orban.

I think it has the anti-Orban crowd worried. It is a bit eerie. Almost exactly 4 years ago, approaching the elections, there was hope the candidate of the unified opposition could win (although I hasten to point out, Fidesz had a slight lead in the polls at the time, not trailing decisively like now). Then said candidate gave an interview where to the question of "would you send Hungarian soldiers to Ukraine?" he said something along the lines of "if there was a joint NATO action and our aid is requested, yes" (ie. what a decent future Prime Minister should say). The government propaganda has turned this into a confirmation that he is looking to get involved in the war. His support very, very visibly fell and the election was a decisive defeat for the opposition coalition.

So no wonder everyone is jittery about this Zelensky comment now being picked up.


Oh, one other thing: ever since this AI video I mentioned (of a Hungarian soldier being executed in reference to the Ukraine war, by WW2 German-looking soldiers) surfaced, there was an analyst (and old guy who was a prominent Socialist in the late 90s, he was severely beaten by skinheads in a parking garage for his troubles) who kept saying watch out this wasn't a coincidence, they are going to make the Germans the villains. And lo and behold, today Orban made the worst rather stark comments about the rearming of Europe and the warmongering of Germany leading to the rise of a new aggressive German state that will endanger world peace.

[Tamas]

So the 7 Ukrainians escorting the money and the gold have been handed over to Ukrainian officials. They have not been charged with any crimes. But Hungary is keeping the money.

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

How American.

[Neil]

It's been fun watching people on the internet melt down over Magyar having to play defence on Zelensky's idiocy.  Not that the Hungarian election really matters from the point of view of Ukraine.  Even if Hungary gets a proper government, Slovakia will still act as the Russian agent preventing the EU from applying itself as a bloc.