Latest news with #Vote2025
Budapest Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Budapest Times
FM: Hungary will not support Ukraine's EU accession, no matter what threats Zelensky makes
"I want to make it clear that no matter what threats President Zelensky makes, Hungary will not support Ukraine's EU accession," said the foreign minister. Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said Hungary will not support Ukraine's EU accession, no matter what threats Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky makes. Commenting on a speech made by Zelensky at an ambassadorial meeting the previous day, Minister Szijjártó told a press conference that the Ukrainian president maintained a 'hostile attitude towards Hungary, the Hungarian nation and Hungarians living in Transcarpathia'. 'Clearly, he treats Hungary and Hungarians as enemies,' he said, adding, 'they have been taking away and trampling on the rights of Transcarpathian Hungarians for many years.' 'These legal regulations have resulted in a church being set on fire and a Hungarian being beaten to death for not wanting to go to war and participate in the senseless slaughter. In that respect, President Zelensky's threats only confirm that he views us as enemies,' he added. 'I want to make it clear that no matter what threats President Zelensky makes, Hungary will not support Ukraine's EU accession. No matter what … blackmail he uses or tries to make Brussels blackmail us, the votes of two million people in the Vote 2025 [public opinion survey] put the Hungarian government under an obligation,' he said. In response to an accusation that the Hungarian government was connected to a church fire in Paladj-Komarivtsi (Palágykomoróc), he said: 'When Hungarian people accuse Hungarians of attacks against Hungarians … it clearly shows that the Ukrainians have their people in Hungarian politics, and have people even among the so-called experts and analysts who get paid to spread the Ukrainian narrative.
Scoop
7 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Time's Running Out To Take A Stand And Shape New Plymouth District's Future
If you want to be around the table to make the big decisions for New Plymouth District, you only have until midday Friday 1 August to get your nomination papers in. There are currently 25 confirmed nominations, compared with six at the same point in the previous election. So far there are: 6 nominations for Mayor 5 nominations for five Councillors at large (across the whole district). 9 nominations for six Councillors in Kaitake/Ngāmotu ward (New Plymouth city to Ōkato) 0 nominations for one Councillor in Kōhanga Moa ward (Inglewood and surrounding area) 1 nomination for one Councillor in North Ward (Waitara up to Waitomo District Council border) 1 nomination for one Councillor in the Te Purutanga Mauri Pūmanawa (Māori ward). Nominations for our five community boards, which each have five members: 0 Inglewood Community Board (Inglewood, Egmont Village, Tarata) 1 nomination for Clifton Community Board (Tikorangi, Urenui, Ōnaero, Tongaporutu) 2 nominations for Waitara Community Board (Waitara, Brixton, Lepperton) 0 nominations Kaitake Community Board (Ōākura, Ōmata, Ōkato) 0 nominations Puketapu-Bell Block Community Board. Find out more, including details on how to stand and nomination papers on our Vote 2025 website ( Fast Facts: Nominations to stand close midday 1 August. Voting papers start being delivered from 9 September Voting closes midday Saturday 11 October. This election, councils with Māori wards, including NPDC, will run a poll to decide if they will have Māori wards for future elections. Results are legally-binding. Progress results are expected in the afternoon of 11 October, 12 October for preliminary results and 17 October for the final results.
Budapest Times
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Budapest Times
Orbán: A country in which forced conscription could lead to death cannot be member of EU
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in an interview with public radio that the Hungarian-Ukrainian dual citizen who was beaten to death in Ukraine during forced conscription is one of us. 'This must be taken seriously,' he said. 'The victim belongs to our community, not only in the cultural and national sense of the word but also in terms of public law,' he added. PM Orbán dismissed the 'cautious wording' of news reports, declaring that the deceased had not simply met his fate due to forced conscription but was 'beaten to death'. 'This is a case that we must investigate,' he said, adding that the victim's family must be taken care of and the Ukrainian authorities questioned. 'This is all underway.' The deceased, he said, had lived 15-20-30kms from the Hungarian border, 'and was beaten to death there'. The prime minister also warned that 'we live in an age of dangers', adding that every decision and every word 'can have significance here'. PM Orbán said that in light of this, the government's Vote 2025 survey on Ukraine's EU membership had been 'justified joint action' on the part of Hungarians. He said a country in which forced conscription could lead to death 'cannot be a member of the European Union', as integrating the country would be to integrate the war 'and all its consequences'. The prime minister dismissed a statement made by the Ukrainian Land Forces Command that the victim had not died due to abuse. 'This explanation isn't at all satisfactory,' he said. He said the war 'cannot be won', and diplomacy rather than prolonged fighting on the frontline should determine its settlement. PM Orbán said no one had the courage to concede that Ukraine had essentially 'lost this war and Europe has also lost this war alongside Ukraine. Instead, they're acting like this war can be won…' 'Diplomacy, a ceasefire and peace negotiations are needed,' he added. PM Orbán also said he rejected taking out an EU loan to finance Ukraine, saying: 'I will oppose this right to the very end.' The European economy, he said, had lost its competitiveness and was suffering, paying 3-4 times as much for gas and 2-3 times as much for electricity as its competitors. So while raising a loan 'is problematic in itself, there's no need to give that money to someone else', he said. 'Europe should spend it on itself' to restore its economy, he added.
Budapest Times
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Budapest Times
Orbán: Brussels wants to instruct people on whom to vote for
During an interview with public radio on Friday, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Brussels wants to instruct people on whom to vote for. 'This is true in Hungary's case, too,' he said. PM Orbán said Brussels had 'no right to tell people whom to vote for, how to live or what position to take on important issues.' 'This is an abuse of power,' he added. He said Brussels bureaucrats thought that massive amounts of money, diplomatic influence, media power and help from 'their agents in individual countries' could change the domestic political landscape. Brussels, he added, did not even hide its interests in parliamentary elections in member states. The prime minister said that some people in Hungary considered that 'insulting other people is okay', but ridiculing the votes and opinions of 2.3 million people 'isn't right', he added, referring to the results of the government's Vote 2025 public survey. Not even the opposition Tisza party, or any talented musician who calls the ruling parties and the people participating in the survey pro-government, can do this,' PM Orbán said. 'This isn't how we can talk to each other,' he said.
Budapest Times
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Budapest Times
Menczer: Zelensky wants different Hungarian government while Brussels prepares ‘secret service actions against Hungary'
Tamás Menczer, the Fidesz-Christian Democrat parties' communications director, said in a post on Facebook on Tuesday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wants a different Hungarian government, while Brussels is preparing 'secret service actions against Hungary'. Brussels, he added, was piqued because Hungary 'said no to Ukraine's EU membership and does not support pro-Ukrainian and pro-war policies'. Referring to European People's Party head Manfred Weber and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, he said 'Weber and von der Leyen have sent a clear message.' The Fidesz politician added: 'Zelensky, too, has sent a message. He wants a change of government!' He said Zelensky wanted 'a puppet government' headed by Peter Magyar of the Tisza Party, because they supported Ukraine's EU accession bid. 'Weber, von der Leyen and Zelensky, together, want to topple the sovereigntist Orban government. Viktor Orban is in their way because the Hungarian prime minister does not bow to the will of Brussels and Ukraine,' he said. 'Instead, he protects Hungarian interests.' Fully 2.2 million people in the Vote 2025 survey said Hungary came first, not Ukraine, he added. Menczer said he planned to release a video today that proved his statement about 'Weber and Zelensky's threats'.
