Hungarian government releases anti-Ukraine questionnaire to be sent out ahead of election
The Hungarian government has released the text of a questionnaire it plans to send to voters soon, inviting them to say no to EU financial support for Ukraine in the coming years.
Source: European Pravda, citing the questionnaire released by the Hungarian government on social media
Details: The measure, which Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced on 16 January, is aimed at mobilising his voters, giving them a way to express their opposition to European Union funding for Ukraine. The government has now unveiled the text of the questionnaire it intends to send out.
The questionnaire features an image of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with his hand outstretched. He is flanked by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European People's Party leader Manfred Weber, who are depicted as encouraging people to fill the Ukrainian leader's palm.
It is claimed in the text that Ukraine is set to join the European Union within the next four years and that as an EU member it will supposedly receive US$800 billion.
Quote: "And Brussels is preparing to do more than just supply weapons. Brussels has decided to enter the war on Ukraine's side. Ursula von der Leyen says 'Europe must fight!' And Europeans, including us Hungarians, will pay the costs of the war. Brussels is hiding from Europeans the obvious fact that Ukraine will never repay the hundreds of billions of euros in aid. Brussels bureaucrats are preparing to take the hundreds of billions promised to Ukraine from Europeans and from us Hungarians."
More details: It is also claimed that 13th and 14th month top-up pension payments will be scrapped, taxes will rise, and reductions on utility tariffs will be abolished, "and the money will go to Ukraine".
Respondents are then invited to tick three statements: "I say 'No' to further funding of the Russo-Ukrainian war!", "I say 'No' to us paying for the Ukrainian state to function for the next 10 years!", and "I say 'No' to higher utility tariffs because of the war!"
The questionnaire form can be returned free of charge by 23 March. Less than a month later, on 12 April, Hungary is due to hold parliamentary elections, in which Viktor Orbán's party faces the prospect of defeat for the first time in a decade.
Background:
- Hungary's Foreign Ministry summoned Ukraine's ambassador in Budapest on 27 January after Orbán claimed that Kyiv was attempting to influence the country's parliamentary election in favour of the opposition Tisza party.
- Last week, Zelenskyy said at the World Economic Forum in Davos that "every 'Viktor' who lives off European money while trying to sell out European interests deserves a smack upside the head". He did not specify which Viktor he meant.
- Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha believes that Orbán is a threat to the Hungarian people.
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