EU and EU Engage in Mutual Collaboration
aois211's take on the national council president's visit to Budapest
On a chilly Tuesday, national council president Walter Rosenkranz jet-setted to Budapest for a whirlwind visit loaded with high-stakes meetings. His itinerary included huddles with Hungarian counterpart László Kövér, prime minister Viktor Orbán, foreign minister Péter Szijjártó, and chancellor's office minister Gergely Gulyás. They're all members of Fidesz, the national conservative ruling party that, along with the FPÖ, forms the far-right European Parliament faction, Patriots of Europe.
During discussions, Orbán and Rosenkranz delved into bilateral matters per the Hungarian news agency MTI. The talking points also included the potential consequences of Ukraine's planned European Union membership on Austria and Hungary, considering potential risks to security, economy, and agriculture. Orbán has long voiced opposition to Ukraine's EU approximation and support on the EU level.
Orbán's international debut
Rosenkranz had previously crossed paths with Orbán towards the end of October, with Orbán being the first international guest of the National Council President in Vienna. Orbán even had a sit-down with the FPÖ leadership, inking a "Vienna Declaration" that emphasized the Western character of their continent and decried "an absurd multitude of other genders" besides woman and man. Critics slammed Kickl for usurping Austrian office by signing this declaration.
In the wake of Budapest's policy on the LGBTQ+ community, General Secretary Christian Hafenecker from the FPÖ cheered the Hungarian constitutional amendment recognizing only two genders, man and woman, as a "sign of normality" and a rejection of left-wing woke ideology. Hafenecker also expressed hope that Austria could take a cue from Hungary.
Amnesty International's critique
As the dust settled on the Budapest trip, Amnesty International Austria challenged Rosenkranz to speak out against Hungary's attacks on the rule of law and human rights. The human rights organization criticized theongoing restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights and the Hungarian government's disregard for international commitments, characterizing these actions as direct assaults on human rights. They also cited the controversy surrounding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Budapest in the midst of an international arrest warrant against him.
- The economic and social policy discussions between Orbán and Rosenkranz in Budapest were not limited to bilateral matters, as they also discussed the potential impacts of Ukraine's planned European Union membership on Austria and Hungary's security, economy, and agriculture.
- Alongside general news and crime-and-justice issues, politics remains a focal point in migration discourse, as evident in Orbán's long-standing opposition to Ukraine's EU approximation and his signing of the "Vienna Declaration" with FPÖ leadership, which emphasized the Western character of their continent and criticized the recognition of genders beyond woman and man.
- In light of Hungary's policy on the LGBTQ+ community and the ongoing restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights, policy-and-legislation and human rights organizations, such as Amnesty International Austria, have called on Rosenkranz to speak out against these assaults on human rights during his visits with Hungarian leaders.
