Surprises Orban: EU getting ready for war, real threat is Brussels, not Russia

The real threat Hungary faces is not Russia, but the European Union, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told supporters Saturday, while his nationalist party intensified its anti-European campaign ahead of national elections.

With only eight weeks remaining until the 12 April vote, Orban and his Fidesz party face their most serious challenge since the right-wing populist leader returned to power in 2010.

Most independent polls show Fidesz is behind the centre-right Tisza party and its leader, Peter Magyar. In his speech, Orban compared the EU to the oppressive Soviet regime that ruled Hungary for more than 40 years in the past century and rejected the conviction of many European leaders that Vladimir Putin is a threat to the safety of the continent.

“We need to get used to the idea that those who love freedom should not be afraid of the East, but from Brussels”, he said, referring to the de facto EU capital in Belgium.

The raising of fear for Putin is primitive and irresponsible. Brussels, however, is a tangible reality and an immediate source of danger. That is the bitter truth and we will not tolerate it”, Orban said.

Orban has been a staunch opponent of military and economic aid to Kiev since Russia began its invasion nearly four years ago, and maintains close ties with Moscow while adopting an aggressive attitude towards Hungary's EU and NATO partners, which he describes as a warmonger.

The European Union has decided to go to war by 2030. It's not that he wanted to, he could or he planned to do that, he decided. April elections will be the last Hungarian election before the war. The future government will have to decide on the issue of war and peace. Brussels has decided that Russian forces will be defeated on Ukrainian soil. Everywhere except in Hungary and Slovakia, preparations for a possible war are under way. Compulsory military service has already been introduced in nine countries, and in some countries it has expanded for women. People are being sent instructions on what to do in case of war, military spending has increased significantly. Agreements have been signed that military units will later be sent to Ukraine, they will be sent to their death of”, he stressed.

In December, he said that “is not clear who attacked this” when tens of thousands of Russian forces invaded the Ukrainian border in February 2022.

Hungary's government has long been at odds with the EU, which has <x0rinal” funds for Budapest due to concerns that Orban has dismantled democratic institutions, undermined judicial independence and allowed corruption to spread.

In return, Orbán is acting increasingly as a reactional element in EU decisions, systematically threatening to veto key policies, such as providing economic support to Ukraine.

As the elections approach, he portrays more and more Tisza's party as an EU doll designed to overthrow his government and serve foreign interests, accusations Tisza has strongly denied.

Magyar, the party's leader, has pledged to improve Hungary's tense relations with its Western allies, revive the economy and turn the country into a more democratic way.

In addition, on Saturday, Orban accused multinationals, such as banks and energy companies, of taking advantage of the war in Ukraine and of plotting with his opposition to beat it in the elections.

It is absolutely clear that in Hungary the oil industry, the banking world and the Brussels elite are preparing to form a government,” said.

“They need someone in Hungary who will never say no to the requirements of Brussels”, Orban added.

If his party wins the fifth consecutive majority in the elections, Orban has pledged to continue its goal to free Hungary of entities he says violates the country's sovereignty.

He attributed it to US President Donald Trump, who supported it before elections, creating an environment where “False NGOs and journalists, judges and politicians purchased” can be expelled.

“The new president of the United States has rebelled against the global business network, journalism and liberal policy, thus improving our chances”, he said.

“We can also go too far and remove foreign influences from Hungary, along with their agents, limiting our sovereignty”, Orban said.

Brussels' Repressive Machine is still operating in Hungary. We'll clean it up after April”, the Hungarian prime minister finished.