Orban urges EU to lift sanctions on Russia

According to the pro-government newspaper Magyar Nemzet, the right-wing Hungarian prime minister made these comments during the party meeting that was held on September 21st.

Orban the only EU leader to hold good reports with Russian President Vladimir Putin is a severe critic of the sanctions the bloc has imposed against Moscow due to the invasion of Ukraine.

According to the newspaper Magyar Nemzet, Orban has declared that EU sanctions have increased gas and inflation prices. But he has not shown where he bases these claims.

He has also claimed that if sanctions are lifted, gas prices would drop by immediately 50 per cent, and the inflation rate would also fall.

The newspaper reported that Orban has said that without sanctions, Europe would be able to avoid recession, while repeating his stance that sanctions are damaging Europe more than Russia.

In his Facebook account, during the party meeting, Orban wrote “Brussels' sanctions have pushed Europe into energy crisis”.

In July, Orban said Europe “has shot itself” by imposing sanctions against Russia, which, according to him, if not removed, would destroy the European economy.

Orban, who has been re-elected prime minister in the fourth consecutive mandate in April, often clashes with the European Union on a range of issues, including judicial independence themes, public procurement, community rights LGBT+, media and religious rights.

On 18 September, the European Commission proposed that Hungary stop 7.5 billion euros in funds due to disagreements between the bloc and Budapest over the fight against corruption and rule of law. / REL