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PM Orban appeals to the UK to stay in the EU

Orban tells Britain "the decision is yours but Hungary is proud to stand with you as a member of the EU"

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has sent a message to the British people urging them to vote to remain in the European Union.

The appeal by the prime minister was published today, spokesman Zoltan Kovács announced on the Hungarian government's website.

"The Hungarian government is often accused of being anti-European but this current 'pro-Europe' gesture shows how much we believe in the European Union's achievements, even if we have different views on the continent's future," Kovács said.

In the appeal Orban tells Britain "the decision is yours but Hungary is proud to stand with you as a member of the European Union."

Kovács said Hungarian diplomats across Europe would also be arguing the remain case in the last days before Thursday's in-out referendum.

Hungary's intervention comes as Budapest prepares for a referendum in the autumn on an EU plan for the compulsory resettlement of 160,000 refugees among EU members. The government is campaigning against the plan.