Austria receives the Bad Boy of the EU
Brussels. He is the bad boy in the EU: Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. He blocks regular joint decisions in Brussels, his critics see him as a corrupt head of government with a penchant for autocracy, and he is largely isolated in the EU. On Thursday it was over for the time being: the Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer received Orbán in Vienna with ongoing honors – and before talking about commonalities with the guest from Budapest, he first criticized Orbán’s recent verbal failures.
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Comparisons between the Shoah and the current energy crisis in the EU are unacceptable, said Nehammer, a member of the conservative Austrian People’s Party. Racism and anti-Semitism have no place in Austria, which is aware of its historical responsibility from the Second World War.
Criticism of Orbán’s speech on “multiracial world”
Nehammer wanted this to be understood as a clear criticism of Orbán’s statements last weekend. In a speech in Romania in front of thousands of supporters, Orbán had lamented a “mixed race world” in many EU countries. In the world of the Hungarians, the Slovaks and the Romanians, things are different and should remain so.
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During the speech, Orbán also spoke about the EU’s gas emergency plan, which, in extreme cases, should force member states to reduce their gas consumption by at least 15 percent. “I don’t see how this should be enforced, although there is German know-how for this, I think from the past,” Orbán said, referring to the Nazi regime’s gas chambers.
After Nehammer’s criticism, Orbán tried to put his statements into perspective. “It sometimes happens that I formulate things in an ambiguous way,” he said. In general, however, Hungary is pursuing a zero-tolerance strategy in the fight against anti-Semitism and racism, he claimed.
With rockets at churches: How Russia is destroying Ukrainian culture
Around 400 museums, churches, monuments and archives have been destroyed or badly damaged in the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. Cultural scientists and artists criticize that Russia is aiming for a single-minded destruction of Czech culture and identity.
Orbán: Sanctions harm the EU
Differences between the two heads of government also emerged on the question of how the EU should react to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Orbán called for an end to the previous EU strategy. “The war cannot be won in this form,” he said.
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The sanctions hurt the EU more than Russia. There is a risk of mass unemployment. Orbán did not say which strategy he would prefer. But he recently sent his foreign minister to Moscow to buy gas.
Nehammer spoke more broadly. It is still too early to evaluate the sanctions. “A certain degree of frustration is evident that the sanctions have not yet integrated Russia as effectively as hoped,” said the Austrian Chancellor. But Russia is a big country. He relies on the effect of targeted sanctions in the field of high technology. In addition, there is no alternative to supporting Ukraine, Nehammer said. Otherwise one can forget international law.
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Unity on the issue of migration
Despite criticism and different opinions: Nehammer and Orbán agree on one point. Together they want to fight irregular migration via the Balkan route more vigorously. Austria and Hungary wanted to organize a conference together with Serbia. Proposals are to be drawn up as to how irregular migrants can be stopped at Serbia’s southern border.
In Brussels, this idea causes little enthusiasm. “That’s just a distraction from the real problems like the war and climate change and the serious corruption problem in Hungary. In comparison, the refugee issue on the Balkan route currently plays no role at all,” said Green MEP Daniel Freund of the editorial network Germany (RND). It was completely wrong that the Austrian chancellor would give himself up to offer Orbán a stage.
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The Vice President of the European Parliament, Katarina Barley (SPD), attacked Nehammer. “The Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer welcomes the man who is just trying all of Europe and does not find a critical word,” Barley told RND. The issue of illegal migration is “completely in line with Orbán’s nationalist narrative,” said the former federal justice minister. “Nehammer shows the right-wing populist side of the ÖVP and makes himself Orbán’s ‘useful idiot'”.
Nehammer spoke more broadly. It is still too early to assess the sanctions. “A certain degree of frustration is evident that the sanctions have not yet integrated Russia as effectively as hoped,” said the Austrian Chancellor. But Russia is a big country. He relies on the effect of targeted sanctions in the field of high technology. In addition, there is no alternative to supporting Ukraine, according to Nehammer. Otherwise one can forget international law.