The European Union welcomed a "new chapter" as Hungary's new Prime Minister Péter Magyar was sworn in on Saturday, ending Viktor Orbán's 16-year rule and instilling hope for a rapprochement with the EU, UNN reports, citing Politico.
Details
Magyar, whose Tisza party won a landslide victory in last month's parliamentary elections, was sworn in during a ceremony at the parliament building in Budapest, where the EU flag was raised for the first time in a decade. The blue-and-gold flag was hoisted by the new speaker, reversing an Orbán-era decision to remove it.
"I wish all the best to Péter Magyar and Hungary," European Council President António Costa told reporters at simultaneous Europe Day celebrations in Brussels. "This is a new chapter in Hungarian history, and we are ready to work with the new Hungarian government."
Magyar has pledged to overhaul relations with Brussels in an attempt to secure the release of around 10 billion euros in EU funds, which were frozen due to backsliding on human rights principles and the rule of law in recent years.
The center-right Hungarian politician flew to Brussels last week for talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as the new administration scrambles to meet an August deadline to demonstrate progress on reforms or risk losing access to those funds entirely.
The Tisza party, founded by Magyar in 2020 after his departure from Orbán's ruling Fidesz party, won 141 of the 200 seats in parliament in the April elections, providing it with the necessary two-thirds majority to enact constitutional changes.
Orbán, like many of his top allies, stated he would not take his seat in the new parliament, but spoke on a Hungarian-language YouTube channel on Friday, insisting he would face any investigation into his conduct and is innocent of any wrongdoing.
The resignation of Orbán, who consistently used his veto power in the European Council to block support for Ukraine and oppose sanctions against Russia, comes as his long-time ally, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, ramps up support for the Kremlin. Fico was the only EU leader to fly to Moscow on Saturday for a visit coinciding with Victory Day events in Russia, which this year took place without the usual parade of tanks and missile launchers due to equipment shortages and the risk of Ukrainian drone strikes, the publication writes.