Sparks fly as Orban berates EU 'elites' in parliament trip
Strasbourg (France) (AFP) – Hungary's leader Viktor Orban sent sparks flying at the European Parliament Tuesday as he told the EU to change tack or face "defeat" in Ukraine, and promised to pop the champagne if Donald Trump wins back the White House.
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"Europe is not in Brussels, not in Strasbourg," he said. "Europe is in Rome, Berlin, Prague, Budapest, Vienna, Paris. It is an alliance of nation states," Orban said -- warning against any temptation to "isolate" leaders such as himself on the European stage.
"The elites are putting a protective ring about themselves, but we live in a democracy, and these voices have to have found people to represent it," he said.'Playing arsonist'
"The elites are putting a protective ring about themselves, but we live in a democracy, and these voices have to have found people to represent it," he said.'Playing arsonist'
There is no love lost between Orban and centrist forces in the European Parliament -- who promise to pull no punches during his visit.
French lawmaker Valerie Hayer said his freelance diplomacy conducted under the EU presidency banner was "unacceptable" and played into the hands of "autocratic states".
"Orban is playing arsonist with the very idea of Europe," she charged.
.jfif)
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