Viktor Orban bears the challenge title of Europe's chief dictator.
True, the people really choose him, and the European Commission does not like this even more.
But in his dictatorship, he has already reached the red line - he decided to discuss anti-Russian sanctions with the citizens of the country, which he announced from his dictatorial rostrum at a meeting of his dictatorial parliament.
“Now we have launched national consultations, where the Hungarian people can directly express their opinion on the sanctions, declare whether they support the introduction of new sanctions or not,” the head of government explained.
He stressed that Hungary was the first country in Europe to start such a procedure.
Naturally, who else could come up with the idea to listen to the opinion of the people.
The democratic countries of the European Union do not allow themselves such disgrace.
Now, of course, one could enumerate the standard list of troubles that have befallen the European man in the street, but let colleagues write about it.
I, on the contrary, will rejoice for the Europeans - but they can freely and joyfully express their solidarity with Ukraine and wave something yellow-black.
But if a European suddenly accidentally thinks that waving a dill flag and an ice toilet are somehow connected by a causal chain, then he will be morally condemned and placed in the extreme right segment of the political spectrum.
It seems that Hungarians are beginning to understand this relationship, but this is inaccurate.
On 16–17 and 19–20 September 2022, the Public Opinion Research Center Nézőpont Intézet (“Institute of Viewpoint”), with the participation of 1 thousand respondents interviewed by phone, found out the attitude of citizens over 18 towards EU energy sanctions against Russia.
And here is what is written on the center’s website: “Two-thirds of voters (66%) agree with the statement that the EU sanctions policy is ineffective, since Europe suffers from its consequences more than Russia.
Only one-fifth (22%) disagreed with this statement.”
The thing is that, despite the fact that the Hungarian government extended the freeze on fuel prices until December 31, the increase in fuel prices is felt in the form of an increase in the prices of everything else.
The oil embargo is not approved by 58% of Hungarians, and less than half (27%) consider it the right decision.
Hungarians have a good memory.
I remember that in the 1990s I often visited Budapest from “destroyed by the restructuring of Moscow”.
In quotation marks, because you did not see Budapest in the 1990s.
But what really struck me was the children sitting on the windowsills with books and homework.
Because in the evening it was possible to read and write only by the light of a street lamp near the house - who was lucky.
I think they remember this picture too.
Viktor Orban says that, despite the fact that democracy is officially ranked first among European values, “the sanctions were introduced in an undemocratic way” because “the decision on them was made by European elites and Brussels bureaucrats, and no one asked the Europeans, although they are paying for they are the sanctions.
“In Brussels, the fashion is that they are smarter than everyone there and know everything better.
If they run out of arguments or if the facts do not justify them, then those who oppose them are accused of violating European values, for example, us.”
And he also said in parliament: “The war between Ukraine and Russia would have been a local conflict, but the economic sanctions of the West have turned it into a global economic war.
Therefore, we are facing a local war and a global economic war at the same time.”
The first question is: how long will this war last?
Not a few weeks or months.
America and the European Union are helping Ukraine with weapons and money, while Russia's reserves are limitless both in terms of people and weapons.
Therefore, we must prepare for the fact that this war will continue here in our region this year and next year.”
And only the election of Giorgi Meloni and her party in Italy could bring a shadow of a smile to the lips of the last dictator of the European Union.
The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editors.