PUTIN CONGRATULATES ORBAN ON ELECTION VICTORY – KREMLIN

Mon 04 April 2022:

Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban after the ruling Fidesz-Hungarian Civic Alliance emerged victories at the parliamentary elections in Hungary, the Kremlin said on Monday.

“Russian President Putin sent a congratulatory telegram to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on the occasion of the victory of the party coalition led by him in the elections to the parliament of Hungary,” the Kremlin said.

Putin wrote in his message that development of Moscow-Budapest ties serves the interests of both sides despite the “the difficult international situation.”

Criticises Zelensky

The 58-year-old, who has been branded Vladimir Putin’s sole European ally for refusing to condemn the Ukrainian invasion, said it was a “huge victory” for his right-wing Fidesz party.

In a 10-minute speech to supporters in Budapest, Mr Orban said: “The whole world has seen tonight in Budapest that Christian democratic politics, conservative civic politics and patriotic politics have won. We are telling Europe that this is not the past, this is the future.

“We won a victory so big that you can see it from the moon, and you can certainly see it from Brussels,” added Mr Orban, who has often been condemned by the European Union for overseeing the unravelling of democracy and alleged corruption.