- On Tuesday, a Hungarian activist and city councilor disrupted Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's press conference in Strasbourg as he spoke about Hungary's upcoming European Union presidency.
- He interrupted Mr Orbán's speech on immigration, ran to the podium and threw what appeared to be banknotes at him.
- During the turmoil, he berated Mr. Orbán, questioning how much he had “sold out” Hungary.
A Hungarian opposition activist and city council member disrupted a press conference in Strasbourg, France, on Tuesday as Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced his plans for Hungary's six-month European Union presidency.
Activist Marton Gekiecki interrupted Orbán as he spoke about his opposition to immigration, ran to the podium where Orbán was sitting and threw a wad of what appeared to be banknotes at the prime minister.
“How much did you sell your country for? How much did you sell your country for, Prime Minister?'' cried Gekitsuki, as papers were scattered about. “He was sold to Putin, and he was sold to Xi Jinping!” — referring to the Russian and Chinese leaders.
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The disruption occurred as Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was scheduled to address the European Parliament on Wednesday during Hungary's six-month rotating presidency. His government has long been at odds with the European Union over what it sees as curbs on democratic rights, and has come under increasing criticism for its close ties to authoritarian states such as Russia and China.
Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister of Hungary and President of the Council of the European Union, speaks while attending the Federation's annual meeting held in Pontida, north of Milan, Italy, on October 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Caranni)
Mr. Gekicki, the activist who was pushed to the ground by a security guard and led out of the room, is a member of the Hungarian Democratic Union party and a member of a local parliament on the outskirts of Budapest.
The party's leader, former Prime Minister Ference Gürcany, later wrote on social media that he was “proud” of Gödzki's actions.
“We say it always and everywhere: Hungary has a traitorous government!” he wrote.
Prime Minister Orbán is expected to receive a mixed reception at the EU parliament on Wednesday. Many MPs have called for the country's government to be stripped of EU funds, citing rule of law and corruption violations.
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Two years ago, parliament declared that Hungary under Orban had become a “hybrid electoral dictatorship” and had been excluded from the democratic community.
But this year, Prime Minister Orban succeeded in forming the European Patriots Group in parliament, uniting far-right parties from across the continent to form the third-largest group in the EU parliament.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Prime Minister Orbán lamented the EU's economic decline and lack of competitiveness with the United States and China, calling it “the most serious challenge we have to face.”
He also spoke out against recently introduced EU tariffs on Chinese-made electric cars, leading to the destruction of the EU's visa-free Schengen area, as Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovenia and others introduce temporary border checks. He harshly criticized immigrants. along their borders.
“These individual attempts would actually destroy the Schengen system,” Prime Minister Orbán said, adding that he had proposed holding a regular “Schengen summit” where member states meet to discuss border policy.
“We need a big collective decision,” he said.
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In response to the obstruction by activists, Prime Minister Orbán offered “a few words of explanation about Hungarian political culture.”
“When a Hungarian politician tells another politician that he is a thug, in our culture it only means 'I disagree with your opinion,'” he said.
