2024-07-14 09:12:00
The recent tour of the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, by Russia y China caused a deep irritation in the EU countries and institutions, which agreed that he had no mandate to speak in block name.
The irritation was aggravated by the fact that on July 1, Hungary He assumed the semi-annual presidency of the UE, and the widespread feeling that his tour was not properly presented as a strictly bilateral initiative.
The ministers of External relationships of the UE They have a meeting scheduled this week in Brussels, and several diplomats have indicated that several countries intend to question the Hungarians over the tour.
“Orban is trolling, playing his game... We want to show him a yellow card and tell him that we know what he’s up to,” said a diplomat who requested anonymity.
Another European diplomat said that “tensions are very high,” and recalled that in their meetings Orban He used his country’s logo as president of the Council of the EU, detail that gave an ambiguous character to the meetings andn China and Russia.
Despite the intense irritation, sources played down rumours about a possible cut in Hungary’s EU presidency, with the next in line to take over on 1 September. Poland. One source said the possibility was merely “speculation.”
The Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jose Manuel Albaressaid that Orban “has every right in the world to make bilateral trips as he sees fit, but certainly not to speak on behalf of Europe. He did not go to Moscow on behalf of Europe.”
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2024-07-14 09:12:00