Opposition politician slams Hungary for dodging EU policy

May 29, Pozirk. Hungary is deliberately dodging the pan-European policy toward the Alaksandar Łukašenka government, said Valer Kavaleŭski, deputy head of the opposition United Transitional Cabinet (UTC).

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó is on a working visit to Belarus, accompanied by 24 heads of Hungarian companies.

Hungary is the only EU country with an ambassador in Minsk. Kavaleŭski pointed out that the rest of the European Union rejects the regime.

“We do not see Szijjártó making statements on the mass repression in Belarus or trying to free political prisoners. The simplified agenda of his visit is purely pragmatic. It takes no account of the context and is inadequate to the situation in Belarus,” Kavaleŭski told Pozirk.

He emphasized that the Hungarian government is aware of Belarusian developments: the UTC has ways to communicate this information directly, albeit not in a bilateral format. Therefore, the Hungarian government’s decision “to communicate with Łukašenka is conscious and purposeful.”

He went on to say that “Hungary is not the best example of how to properly build and implement the EU foreign policy.”

Budapest even “helps regime members to obtain visas and travel to the EU,” the politician charged.

“This is one of the issues we are concerned about and raise with European bodies. The Hungarians, who once survived the occupation and suppression of their uprising for freedom, have completely forgotten these lessons and do not help the Belarusians in their struggle for freedom,” the politician stressed.

The armed uprising against the pro-Soviet regime in Hungary was crushed in 1956. About 3,000 people were killed and 26,000 were convicted. Over 200,000 Hungarians fled the country.

Hungary is the only EU member to maintain official contacts with the Belarusian government, accused of human rights abuse.

Budapest joined the EU sanctions against Minsk, but Hungarian officials have repeatedly stated their opposition to that policy.

Last September, Alaksandar Łukašenka accepted credentials from Hungary’s Zita Bencsik, the only EU ambassador to present credentials to the Belarusian ruler after 2020.

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