Orbán's MPs boycott: didn't show up for meeting on Sweden's NATO membership
Details
Viktor Orbán's deputies boycotted a parliamentary session discussing Sweden's accession to NATO. This could create additional barriers to the country's accession to the Alliance.
On Monday, members of Viktor Orbán's "Fidesz" party didn't show up for a meeting called by the Hungarian opposition to approve the ratification of Sweden's NATO membership.
The next opportunity for ratification will be on February 26, when the Hungarian parliament resumes its work after the winter break.
Importantly, Hungary remains so far the only country in NATO that has not ratified the Swedish bid.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that his government supports Sweden's accession to NATO. However, the relevant draft law has been blocked in parliament since mid-2022.
Lawmakers from Hungary's ruling party, which is under the strict control of Viktor Orbán, said they plan to delay ratification until the Swedish prime minister visits Budapest. They see the visit as necessary to resolve tensions between the two countries over Stockholm's alleged criticism of Hungary's democratic processes.
Memorial to the fallen Moldovan soldiers of the Transnistrian War in Chisinau. Photo: Alexander Moisseenko
Thirty-three years ago, a ceasefire brought an end to the Transnistrian War—sometimes described by locals as the Russian-Moldovan War. Although the tensions officially ended in 1992, its consequences continue to shape Moldovan politics, society, and security — especially in view of the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Finland is moving to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, which bans anti-personnel mines. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said the decision comes as a direct response to growing aggression from Russia.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has approved a set of controversial laws, including a “foreign agent” act aimed at NGOs and media. Critics say it mimics the U.S. FARA but is weaponized against dissent.
We regret to inform you that due to lack of funding we are forced to discontinue the English version of our website. This decision was not easy for us, as we have always strived to provide quality and timely information for our international audience and Russian-speaking readers. Unfortunately, the current financial realities leave us no other choice.
The Russian-language version of the site will continue to operate, but in a limited mode. We understand that this will create inconvenience for many of our readers, and we apologize for possible interruptions in the provision of news and analytical materials on this resource.
We appeal to you, our loyal readers, with a request to support our editorial staff. Your help will allow us to continue our work and provide you with important and relevant news. Please go to the support page and make your contribution to the development of independent journalism.
We thank you for your understanding and look forward to your support during this difficult time.
The Russian capital faced one of the largest terrorist attacks in its history. The terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall, which claimed the lives of many innocent people, was the second largest after the Beslan tragedy. But unlike previous attacks, this incident is shrouded in a layer of contradictory facts and ambiguities that point to possible miscalculations by the Russian security services
