Máté Kocsis, the head of the Fidesz parliamentary group, said that while the interest of Hungarians lies in working for the swiftest possible peace in Ukraine, Hungarian left-wingers represent Western pro-war forces.
During an interview on public radio, Kocsis referred to the Fidesz-sponsored “pro-peace” bill recently submitted to lawmakers, and said the declarations contained in the bill were based on the opinion of ordinary Hungarians “expressed time and again”. The bill declares that Hungary wants to avoid drifting into the war and refuses to deliver arms or allow weapons to be transported across Hungarian territory, and the country resists political pressure to comply with any request that would drag it into the war. Kocsis said it was clear from the parliamentary debate that the left wing was not fully in favour of the pro-peace declaration and was tabling a number of amendments accordingly. He added that it was likely the left wing would attack the governing side’s pro-peace position in the coming days and weeks. He insisted the Hungarian left wing was the “Hungarian voice of Brussels”. During the election campaign, he added, the left “did not represent the Hungarian position” and it was now apparent that they “receive dollars in exchange”. Kocsis said Hungary would be kept under pressure as long as it maintained its stance on “the gender issue, the war-peace debate, or migration”. One way to resist such political pressure was to pass the pro-peace resolution, he said, adding that it was doubtful the Hungarian left wing could be counted on to do so. Notwithstanding differences of opinion between the government and Brussels, however, Hungary remains committed to NATO and the European Union, Kocsis said.