Categories: World

Viktor Orban elected PM of Hungary for 4th term, criticises Zelensky in victory speech

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Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban has won a fourth term by an overwhelming majority in the country's general election with most of the votes being counted.</p>
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His right-wing Fidesz party had 53.1% of votes with 98% counted. The opposition alliance led by Peter Marki-Zay was far behind with 35%.</p>
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In his victory speech, Mr Orban, 58, criticised Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and Brussels bureaucrats calling them "opponents".</p>
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Mr Zelensky has repeatedly criticised Mr Orban's ban on the transfer of arms to Ukraine, with which it shares a border.</p>
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However, Mr Orban, who also has close ties with Moscow, has condemned the Russian invasion, and taken in half a million refugees since the war began in February.</p>
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"We never had so many opponents," AFP cited him as saying. "Brussels bureaucrats… the international mainstream media, and the Ukrainian president."</p>
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Mr Orban added that his "huge victory" could be seen "from the Moon, but certainly from Brussels as well".</p>
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Hungary's leader has repeatedly clashed with Brussels over rule of law issues such as press freedom and migration.</p>
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According to a BBC report, they've fallen out over Moscow too. Mr Orban is famed for his warm relations with Vladimir Putin. He signed up to Western sanctions – but refuses to supply Ukraine with weapons. He's the only EU leader to openly criticise President Zelensky.</p>
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Ukraine borders Hungary, and around 400,000 refugees have fled here since Russia's forces invaded.</p>
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But Orban said Hungary should keep out of the conflict itself – a war, he said, between two giant countries that is too dangerous.</p>
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Orban's entourage accused Vlodymyr Zelensky of forming a "pact" with the Hungarian opposition to drag Hungarian soldiers into the war with Russia, BBC reported.</p>

IN Bureau

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