Lawmakers from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's party have boycotted an emergency session of parliament, further delaying Sweden's bid to join NATO. This move has caused frustration among Hungary's allies, who have been pressuring the nationalist government to hold a vote without any more delays.
The governing Fidesz party, which holds a majority in parliament, has been stalling Sweden's bid since July 2022. They allege that Swedish politicians have spread false information about the state of democracy in Hungary. Despite Turkey's parliament approving Sweden's accession in January, Hungary remains the only NATO member yet to ratify this decision.
In an attempt to proceed with the vote, six opposition parties supported Monday's parliamentary session. However, no Fidesz lawmakers attended the session, effectively scuttling the effort to place the vote on the legislature's schedule. Several NATO member ambassadors, including U.S. Ambassador David Pressman, were present at the proceedings.
In a brief statement after the session, Ambassador Pressman expressed the United States' anticipation for Hungary to act swiftly. He emphasized that Sweden's NATO accession directly affects the national security of the United States and the overall security of the alliance. A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers has also called on Prime Minister Orbán to ratify Sweden's bid immediately, expressing diminishing patience with Hungary's continued delays.
The issue at hand has raised concerns about the reliability of Hungary as a NATO member. U.S. Senator Ben Cardin suggested the possibility of imposing sanctions on Hungary, highlighting Orbán as the 'least reliable member.'
Lawmaker Agnes Vadai from the liberal Democratic Coalition party criticized Orbán's conduct, stating that it has placed Hungary in a humiliating position. Vadai highlighted there is no reason for Hungary to block Sweden's NATO membership, emphasizing that it serves the interests and security of Hungarian society.
Hungarian officials have indicated that Fidesz lawmakers will not support a vote until Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson accepts Orbán's invitation to negotiate in Budapest. However, Kristersson has stated that he will visit Hungary only after Hungary approves Sweden's NATO membership.
Fidesz released a statement on Monday indicating that the ratification of Sweden's NATO accession can take place during a regular session of parliament but expects the Swedish prime minister to visit Budapest first. The party emphasized that if the issue is important to the Swedes, the Swedish prime minister should come to Budapest.
Hungary's parliament is scheduled to reconvene on February 26. However, there is uncertainty about whether Orbán's party will commit to a swift approval of Sweden's bid for NATO membership. Despite the mounting pressure and diplomatic implications, the outcome of this contentious issue remains uncertain.
