This is also seen by the historian and writer Ivo van Wijdeven, who specializes in Eastern Europe, who also underlines that Orban could not do otherwise in the case of Finland. Especially since his Turkish ally Recep Tayyip Erdogan has also approved the accession of the Finns.
The role played by Hungary is remarkable. In general, the Eastern European member states of the EU are quite anti-Russian, while Hungary actually shows the opposite. “Hungary chooses this because two words loom in Viktor Orban’s head: ‘Hungary first’,” says Van Wijdeven in BNR’s De Wereld, which also draws some parallel between Orban’s policy and that of the former US president Donald Trump. . “It puts the interests of Hungary, the Hungarians and hers first, and everything must give way.”
Juggling
Van Wijdeven argues that Orban is doing his best to juggle the EU, Russia and Turkey to get what’s best for Hungary. And while no country’s leader can be accused of wanting the best for his country, Van Wijdeven notes that something is bugging Orban when it comes to NATO and the EU. “Link all file types together,” he says. “If you listen closely to the Hungarian arguments as to why Sweden shouldn’t join, it becomes clear that a good ‘discussion’ about Swedish criticisms of the rule of law in Hungary has yet to take place.”
“Orban links all file types together”
A well-known problem, he says. Where Orban calls it rule of law reform, Sweden and the rest of Europe see it as a violation of the independent rule of law. “And now Orban has something to keep about Sweden and the rest of Europe.”
Thwarted
According to the historian, Orban therefore hopes to be able to intervene to extract certain things from other files, such as the reductions that Europe has made on the subsidies Hungary receives. “But in that case it will probably explode in his face.”
Another factor is the fact that both Hungary and Slovakia have an exceptional position in the issue of energy supply from Russia. That goes back to the past, says Van Wijdeven. “Hungary used to be a member of the Eastern Bloc and the pipelines are right where they are,” he says. “Hungary is traditionally dependent on energy from Russia.”
Addiction has increased
Indeed, under Orban, that addiction has only increased. For example, the Paks Nuclear Power Plant is being expanded by Russia’s Rosatom. According to Van Wijdeven, this is all part of what Orban called “the eastern opening” in 2013 – the deliberate rapprochement with Russia and Turkey, “because he saw that he was in trouble in Europe and wanted to play both ways.” .
He points out that Germany used to have a similar policy, but unlike Hungary, now seems to be ready for a ‘zeitenwende’, and even to pay for it. “And then you come to an important point,” concludes Van Wijdeven. ‘Energy has become more expensive in Germany, while one of Orban’s electoral promises last year was that energy security would be maintained and that energy would remain cheap. And the only way to do that is to import cheap Russian gas.”