“Orban makes him choke”: a political scientist explained the positive from Hungary in the European Union

What a positive thing from Hungary in the European Union / Collage 24 Channel / GettyImages

Hungary intends to hold consultations with the population of the country. The main question is whether Hungarians support Ukraine’s membership in the EU. But the country's Prime Minister Viktor Orban wants to get the maximum benefit, so he will put on different “performances.”

Political scientist Oleg Lisny told Channel 24 about this, noting that this is not about joining the EU itself, but about the beginning of negotiations on accession.

“Currently, Hungary is demonstrating the following: “We don’t want Ukraine to even start negotiations. There is a law on national minorities, but we are not happy with it. Therefore, let’s perhaps give Ukraine some other status, and let it calm down with it,” the political scientist said.

What is the use of Orban in the EU?

Viktor Orban understands that if he periodically puts a spoke in the wheels, in particular, of Ukraine and the actions of the EU, then they will meet him halfway. They will give him certain funds and he will be able to maintain his power as long as he wants.

“He will do this “performance” regularly. I think that he will give in when he receives certain benefits. It’s good that Orban is there for the EU. After all, he shows that there are ineffective mechanisms,” Lisny noted.

They say, otherwise the European Union would have thought for a long time or even not thought at all about how to make its work more effective. And here there is someone who complicates the situation.

Therefore, the European Union must chicken out and do something. Orban believed that if he stalled at all on aid to Ukraine, he would receive another carrot for himself. And the EU says: “Okay, then each country will give a certain amount and we will get the amount that we wanted to help,” the political scientist added.

So a large organization with a very strong bureaucracy has to do something, because someone else may join the position of the Prime Minister of Hungary. And then there will be very big questions about the effectiveness of the European Union.

“There are rumors and plans that the EU needs to be reformed and made more mobile in decision-making,” said Oleg Lisny.

Hungary's position on Ukraine's accession to the EU

• The European Commission said it recommends starting negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union. Earlier, Hungary noted that it would block the start of these negotiations. The country plans to do this until the issue of national minorities is resolved. They say it’s all because the new Ukrainian laws have made the life of Hungarians on the territory of Ukraine “unbearable.”
• Meanwhile, Ukraine has already sent Hungary a road map on how these claims can be resolved.
• Viktor Orban said that Hungary is against the start of negotiations on Ukraine’s membership in the EU. According to him, this is the country’s “clear position.”