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Hungary withdraws ambassador to the Netherlands after Dutch ambassador criticizes the government

Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said Hungary will take “political and diplomatic steps” if the Netherlands does not formally apologize for remarks made by Gajus Scheltema

Hungary has said that it will withdraw its ambassador to the Netherlands for an indefinite period after the Dutch ambassador to Hungary criticized the government and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said Hungary will take “political and diplomatic steps” if the Netherlands does not formally apologize for remarks made by Gajus Scheltema.

According to Politico.eu, Scheltema told 168 Óra that the rhetoric of the Orbán administration is similar to that used by terrorists in the Middle East.

Scheltema said the terrorists behind the Barcelona were “losers of globalization” who “use extremism and fanatic religion.” He also said they “create enemies according to the same principle as the Hungarian government.”

Minister Szijjártó called the remarks “shameful"and said that this is "an accusation that nobody has made before."

The minister added that the Dutch ambassador is not welcome in the Hungarian ministry, and the government is happy to see him leave.”