Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al-Mayadeen's correspondent in southern Lebanon: Israeli occupation forces withdraw from the Blida municipality building two hours after occupying it, and the Lebanese army enters
Pakistani army: 6 soldiers and 7 militants killed in clash near the Afghan border
Israeli media: Sirens sound in the settlement of Kerem Shalom in the Gaza envelope area
Afghan source to Al Mayadeen: We still believe in dialogue and prioritize diplomatic solutions with Pakistan; though we are ready for all possibilities.
Afghan source to Al Mayadeen: Pakistan purposely obstructed negotiations in Turkey by making unrealistic demands.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: More than 70 martyrs in Israeli attacks on Gaza since dawn.
Death toll from latest Israeli strikes on Gaza rises to 30
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Five killed in the Israeli bombing of a civilian vehicle on Al-Qassam Street in Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip
Hamas confirms that it has no connection to the shooting incident in Rafah and affirms its commitment to the ceasefire agreement
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Two civilians were killed and four others, including a child and an infant, were injured in an Israeli bombing of a house belonging to the Al-Banna family in the al-Sabra neighborhood, south of Gaza City

Stockholm ratification stalls in Budapest, needs to regain trust

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 7 Apr 2023 14:22
3 Min Read

The Chief of Staff of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Gergely Gulyas, warns Sweden that it must regain Hungary's trust after it had openly questioned the country's democratic law.

  • x
  • Gergely Gulyas, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s chief of staff speaks during an interview in his office in Budapest, Hungary on September 16, 2019. (Reuters)
    Gergely Gulyas, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s chief of staff, speaks during an interview in his office in Budapest, Hungary on September 16, 2019. (Reuters)

With Finland having already become a NATO member despite having applied simultaneously with Sweden, the latter has faced multiple challenges, with relations between Sweden and Hungary having most recently become rocky.

The Chief of Staff of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Gergely Gulyas, warned Stockholm that it needed to take steps to regain Budapest's confidence in order to consequently gain its vote for its NATO accession.

Budapest has expressed particular resentment over Stockholm's criticism of Hungary's democracy and rule of law, as well as what it regards as "insults" directed at Prime Minister Victor Orban specifically and other Hungarian politicians generally, not to mention the Hungarian nation. 

The chief of staff once again stressed the reservations of Hungary's leadership regarding Sweden's NATO application. Both Nordic nations have been blamed by Orban directly for disseminating "outright lies" about the situation of democracy in Hungary.

Sweden and Finland had recently backed an anti-Hungary lawsuit brought on by the European Commission (EC) over what was dubbed by the Nordic states and the EC as an "anti-LGBT" law. Gulyas argued that this has also become a main concern for Hungary vis-a-vis Sweden.

"Current Sweden-Hungary relations, also because of this intervention on the side of the Commission, are at a low point, and steps to boost confidence are needed," Gulyas said, adding that "in such a situation, NATO unity is of paramount importance and it is not helpful if we import bilateral debates into NATO."

Related News

Hungary plans anti-Ukraine bloc with Czechia, Slovakia

Lavrov, Rubio discuss preparations for Putin-Trump summit

Mainly, Hungary perceives the questioning of its democracy by Sweden as an "unacceptable" quest. And despite US and EU pressure on Budapest, Sweden's ratification process has been stranded in Hungary's parliament for some time now as Orban insists that Sweden needs to prove to Budapest that it can be trusted.

It is worth noting that Sweden is also still waiting for ratification from Turkey with which it faces even more complex challenges. US President Joe Biden, during his welcoming of Finland as NATO's 31st member state, urged Hungary and Turkey to conclude the ratification processes for Sweden "without delay".

Austin looks forward to seeing Sweden in NATO 'as soon as possible'

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin congratulated Finland on becoming the 31st member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on the 74th anniversary of the alliance.

Austin added that he looks "forward to seeing Sweden join the Alliance as soon as possible," revealing that he intends to visit Sweden later this month to discuss the Scandinavian country’s accession to NATO.

Touching on the US-led military alliance's expansion, Austin claimed that "Putin’s war is not the result of NATO enlargement—it is the cause of NATO enlargement."

Historically, NATO members have been noncompliant with the rules and regulations that make up the current international order. For instance, the NATO-led bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999 is one of many incidents in which NATO members disregarded international law to claim their interests.

Read more: Sweden doubts it will join NATO by July: FM

  • Hungary
  • Finland
  • US
  • Sweden
  • Nato Alliance

Most Read

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

  • Politics
  • 27 Oct 2025
Hi-tech holocaust: Microsoft’s role in Gaza genocide

Microsoft's role in world’s first AI-driven genocide, in Gaza, exposed

  • Technology
  • 28 Oct 2025
What Marr evidently didn't seem to understand was that Hedges isn't saying that Western journalists manipulate the truth, but that they systematically amplify Israeli narratives they know are false. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Western journalists know they have a case to answer for their betrayal of Gaza, and it frightens them

  • Opinion
  • 24 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Displaced Sudanese who fled El-Fasher after the city fell to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), rest near the town of Tawila in war-torn Sudan's western Darfur region (AP)
Politics

UAE directly funded RSF, leading to fall of El-Fasher: Sudan

'You’re not welcome in Greece': Israelis face port protests
Politics

'You’re not welcome in Greece': Israelis face port protests

This photo released by the Israeli military on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, shows ground operations inside the Gaza Strip (AP)
Politics

IOF soldier who fought in Gaza, Lebanon denied entry to Czech Republic

UN inquiry exposes 'Israel’s' four genocidal crimes against Gaza
Politics

'Israel' committed four genocidal acts in Gaza, UN inquiry finds

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS