Orban is accused of “betraying the Hungarians of Transylvania”. The episode evoked by the Hungarian opposition leader
Peter Magyar, leader of the Tisza party Photo: Balint Szentgallay/NurPhoto / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia
The leader of the Hungarian opposition party Tisza, Peter Magyar, told participants at a campaign rally in Szeged that his party will represent all Hungarians, regardless of age, party affiliation or residence, MTI reports, taken over by Agerpres Magyar recalled the episode in the presidential campaign in Romania during which Prime Minister Viktor Orban appeared to support George Simion, an episode that Magyar claims represented a betrayal of the Transylvanian Hungarians.
Peter Magyar called the party's foreign-born candidates to the stage and harshly criticized Janos Lazar, the Minister of Construction and Transport, for questioning the Hungarian origins of Viktoria Strompova, an ethnic Hungarian Tisza candidate from Slovakia.
He also accused Fidesz of “betraying the Transylvanian Hungarians” and openly supporting a Romanian presidential candidate who hates Hungarians, MTI also reported.
“What will it take for (Hungarian Prime Minister) Viktor Orban to finally take a stand and oppose Robert Fico (Prime Minister of Slovakia, ed.) – who is truly Slovak and truly socialist – when he threatens with prison those who criticize the Benes Decrees, which collectively stigmatize Hungarians?”, the Hungarian opposition politician asked.
The presidential elections in Romania, a bone of contention in Hungary
On May 8, in the midst of the presidential campaign in Romania, Viktor Orban referred to a speech given by George Simion, then a presidential candidate from the AUR.
“Yesterday, during the presidential debate in Romania, Hungary was mentioned on the subject of Christianity. One of the candidates, Mr. Simion, said the following, and I quote: “Now is the time for the Europe of nations, a Christian Europe, in which we will fight for our right to be European citizens”. This was not said in Hungary and neighboring Romania, and we completely agree,” Viktor Orban said. “The elections in Romania are not our business. However, from the heart of the Carpathian Basin, we assure the Romanian people and their future president: Hungary supports unity, not division. We will not support any form of political isolation against Romania or its leaders. Romanians can count on Hungarians in their fight for Christianity and sovereignty!”, wrote Viktor Orban in a message on X.
After initially appearing to support George Simion, Viktor Orban spoke on the phone with Kelemen Hunor and came to a different conclusion: “We are collaborating to promote the life and existence of Hungarians in Transylvania”
The previous day, during the confrontation with Nicușor Dan from Euronews, George Simion had declared his admiration for the Hungarian prime minister.
“I respect the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán, and precisely for this reason many of his positions – not all, but many – will become state policy in Romania. I want to say to those who think they can continue to feed on this old obsession, the conflict between Romanians and Hungarians, that their time has passed. Now is the time for a Europe of nations, a Christian Europe, where we will fight for our right to be European citizens. And both Romanians and Hungarians are full-fledged citizens of the European Union,” Simion said at the time.
On May 9, the president of UDMR, Kelemen Hunor sent a strong anti-Simion and pro-Nicușor Dan message.
“Anyone who doesn't know who George Simion is, can watch the film about the rise of AUR. Watch Simion's parliamentary speeches. Watch the verbal and physical violence he showed several times as a member of the opposition in parliament. Hungarian families in Transylvania should be safe, the most important thing is that our institutions belong to our identity, George Simion is not a sovereignist, he is an illusionist, he is not a Christian, he is a charlatan, in every nerve he represents the principle that Hungarians have no place in Romania”, stated the president of UDMR, Kelemen Hunor.
He told Hungarians not to forget that “Simion danced on the graves of our grandfathers” in the Valea Uzului cemetery, referring to the 2019 conflict.
Later, after a telephone conversation with Kelemen, Viktor Orban came up with additional clarifications. “This afternoon, I had a conversation with Kelemen Hunor, the president of the UDMR, on the phone. We were clear: We do not want to influence Hungary in any way in the presidential elections in Romania. At the same time, the Hungarian government considers that the position of the UDMR is decisive, and in matters of national policy, the interest of the Hungarians in Transylvania is the indicator. We collaborate with the respective leaders in Romania to promote the life and existence of the Hungarians in Transylvania”. Orban wrote on Facebook.
