Hungary’s opposition presses Orbán to explain claimed US ‘financial shield'
Hungary's growing opposition is calling on Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to clarify the "bailout package" he suggested he secured from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Orbán, a longtime Trump ally, traveled to Washington last week to meet with the American leader. As he returned to Budapest, the populist-nationalist Hungarian premier told his delegation the U.S. had agreed to provide Budapest a “financial shield,” News.Az reports citing Politico.
“Certain Brussels instruments that could be used against Hungary can now be considered ineffective ... The notion [...] that the Hungarian economy can be strangled from the financing side, can now be forgotten,” he said, according to local media, adding, “We have resolved this with the Americans.”
After 15 years in charge, Orbán faces potential defeat in next spring's national election — and the specter of financial assistance from Washington closely echoes Trump's recent blockbuster move to save another ideological ally, Javier Milei in Argentina.
Orbán's remarks, which allude to EU money due to Hungary but frozen because of concerns about backsliding on the rule of law, triggered questions Monday from Péter Magyar, leader of Hungary’s opposition, which is leading the ruling Fidesz party in the polls.
“Why was such a ‘financial shield’ necessary? Is there a near-state bankruptcy situation? What would Viktor Orbán spend the trillions of forints in American loans on? Why is he indebting his fellow citizens instead of bringing home the 8 trillion forints in EU funds owed to Hungarians?” Magyar demanded in a post on social media.
In a separate missive, he added, “Why did Orbán secretly negotiate a huge bailout package?”
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