Hungarian Foreign Minister criticizes Baltic states for “ridiculous and deceitful” actions
Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has strongly criticized the Baltic countries for their actions regarding the expansion of Hungary’s National Card programme. Szijjártó called the Baltic countries’ actions “ridiculous and deceitful” and accused them of launching a propaganda campaign against Hungary, which he said is also being supported in Brussels.
During a joint press conference with his North Macedonian counterpart, Szijjártó pointed out that the number of Russian citizens in Hungary is only 0.7 percent of the one million Russians living in the European Union. He also highlighted the fact that Germany has 300,000 Russian citizens, while the Baltic countries have a total of 140,000. Despite this, Szijjártó stated that the Baltic states have been spreading false information about Hungary through the European liberal media.
Szijjártó also disputed claims made by his Lithuanian counterpart about an increase in the number of Belarusian citizens traveling with a Hungarian visa. He clarified that the Hungarian embassy in Minsk has actually issued fewer visas this year compared to last year.
In addition, Szijjártó addressed the issue of the Ukrainian president’s request for Western weapons to strike deep within Russian territory. He warned against such measures, emphasizing the importance of diplomacy over weapons. Hungary, he noted, is the only EU and NATO member that has not supplied weapons to Ukraine.
Szijjártó stressed Hungary’s commitment to peace and expressed hope that political debates in Europe would move towards a point where those advocating for peace are not unfairly labeled as Russian spies.
In conclusion, Hungary’s Foreign Minister condemned the actions of the Baltic countries and called for an end to the spread of false information against Hungary. He urged for a focus on diplomacy and peace efforts in resolving conflicts rather than escalating tensions with the use of weapons.
