Hungary’s Foreign Ministry has taken action following President Joe Biden’s recent remarks about Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, summoning U.S. Ambassador to Budapest David Pressman to explain the comments.
Biden’s statement, made during a campaign event in Philadelphia, referred to Orbán’s visit to former President Donald Trump, alleging that Orbán stated he doesn’t believe democracy works and is seeking dictatorship.
US Ambassador (Credits: Remix News)
Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó emphasized that such remarks cannot be tolerated, even if they come from the U.S. president. Szijjártó stated that the ministry requested the U.S. ambassador to provide the specific quote, including the place and date, where Orbán made the alleged statement attributed to him by Biden.
As no such statement exists, Szijjártó noted that they did not receive a substantive response. Additionally, Szijjártó highlighted the challenge posed by the ambassador’s assertion that Hungary is building a dictatorship, stating that such remarks insult not just the government but the entire country.
Biden (Credits: CNN)
He emphasized that Hungary’s governance is based on democratic elections, with the government implementing policies chosen by the people through four consecutive election victories.
Szijjártó emphasized the seriousness of the insult and stated that Hungary had objected to it, leading to the summoning of the U.S. ambassador.
He expressed concern about the impact of such rhetoric on bilateral relations, describing it as a significant burden on the relationship between the two countries.
