Last week, Fidesz, the leading political party in Hungary, announced their intention to vote on Finland’s NATO application on March 27th. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg confirmed today at a press conference in Brussels that Hungary will indeed approve Finland’s membership in NATO on Monday. Stoltenberg also stated that the processing of Sweden’s NATO application will be postponed to a future date. This announcement comes after Sweden expressed concerns about Hungary’s voting intentions. However, Foreign Minister Tobias Billström believes that, until they hear otherwise, Sweden will be ratified into NATO and considers it a reasonable assumption.
Last week, Fidesz, Hungary’s leading party, told Reuters it would vote on March 27 to ratify Finland’s NATO application. Now NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg confirms that Hungary will approve Finland’s membership in NATO on Monday, TT reports.
He makes the announcement at a press conference in Brussels.
– I spoke this morning with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto and he confirmed that there will be a vote on March 27 in the Hungarian parliament on ratification by Finland and we will then work further to make progress on ratification for Sweden, he says.
Stoltenberg then confirms to TT and Ekot that the processing of Sweden’s application is postponed to the future.
– They continue the process, but will not vote on Monday, he says.
“A reasonable assumption”
Already in in connection with Turkey giving Finland the green light on Friday in NATO, but not Sweden, there was information that Hungary intended to do the same.
On Monday, however, Foreign Minister Tobias Billström (M) expressed that Sweden “stands where we stand” regarding the situation with Hungary.
– As long as we have not heard anything else, we assume that we will be ratified. We think that is a reasonable assumption, he said then.