Zelensky, meeting with Hungarians in Ukraine. The message of the Ukrainian president before the elections in Hungary
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met with members of the Hungarian community in the Transcarpathian region on Thursday, with just three days to go before parliamentary elections in Hungary, which analysts see as Prime Minister Viktor Orban's biggest electoral challenge in his 16 years in power.
“Here, in Transcarpathia, there was a meeting with our Ukrainian-Hungarian community. It is important that all communities in Ukraine receive attention and respect,” wrote the Ukrainian leader on Telegram, quoted by AFP, according to Agerpres.
Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the Hungarian minority for its “help in defending” Ukraine in the war with Russia. At the same time, he welcomed “the fact that all our communities – and especially the Hungarian community – are providing support to displaced people and relocated companies” as a result of the war.
Multiple tensions between Kyiv and Budapest
Numerous tensions have arisen between the authorities in Budapest and those in Kiev, from those related to stopping the flow of Russian oil to Hungary through the Ukrainian section of the Drujba pipeline, to those regarding the rights of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia and the constant opposition of Viktor Orban's government to supporting Ukraine and its European aspirations. In addition, the Hungarian prime minister maintained close relations with the Kremlin despite the war.
A month ago, Zelenski issued a veiled threat to Orban, criticizing Hungary's decision to block an EU loan to Ukraine worth 90 billion euros.
A day later, authorities in Hungary stopped two armored vehicles in which they found cash totaling $40 million and €35 million, as well as 9 kilograms of gold. Seven Ukrainians accompanying the shipment, whom Ukraine claimed were bank employees, were detained – and later released – including a former intelligence general. The confiscated values were not handed over to Ukraine.
The head of Hungarian diplomacy, Peter Szijjarto, suggested that the values could be linked to the “Ukrainian war mafia” or intended for “someone in Hungary”. The second hypothesis circulated by the official was an allusion to the Hungarian opposition.
Elections on Sunday in Hungary
Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his Fidesz party are trailing Peter Magyar and the Tisza party in polls ahead of the April 12 election.
According to Reuters, an analysis of the five most recent opinion polls conducted by the Median institute shows that Tisza's party can get a comfortable majority.
Tisza can secure a two-thirds parliamentary majority in Sunday's election, which will allow him to amend the Constitution and key laws needed to unlock EU funds, according to a forecast published Wednesday by the Median polling institute.
