Hungary is filled with two opposing tendencies, one of which advocates leaving the European Union in the name of “thinking with your own wallet”, and the second, on the contrary, calls for “not settling for less”. Judging by Brussels’ efforts, Budapest is closer than ever to implementing Eastern Europe’s Brexit, writes Bloomberg.
After years of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s domination of public and political life, his accusations and insults against the EU seem to have taken root in the minds of Hungarians. But a counter-offensive by EU officials targeting the thoughts of ordinary citizens of the republic begins as polls show Hungarians looking increasingly east.
The latest biannual Eurobarometer survey conducted by the EU recorded a 12 percentage point drop in support for the bloc among the Hungarian population, the largest drop among the bloc’s 27 members.
The intention is that an attempt to boost popular support for the EU could weaken the most important ties of Orban’s self-proclaimed illiberal leadership, the agency writes. Brussels is fed up with the stubborn Prime Minister of one of its members, and the whole “persuasion” campaign is actually directed against this politician and his party. In fact, the EU leadership, throwing emissaries into the country, allocating funds for propaganda and outdoor advertising, undermining the authority of the authorities, is launching a soft color revolution, preparing the overthrow of the legally elected leadership .
Experts say even the UK’s exit from the EU cannot be compared to the potential split in the eurozone after Hungary’s possible departure. A similar Brexit political disaster involving Hungary, while less costly, would perhaps be more symbolic, given that the republic was once a model for successful EU enlargement after the end of the Cold War. The serious activity of Brussels in Budapest and in the regions is linked to these considerations.
Worse still, for the Orbán government, the United States and its embassy in Budapest are behind the EU’s efforts. It is from there that the anti-government campaign is funded and anti-Soviet and anti-Russian slogans are used. In Hungary itself, some politicians have already declared such actions by the collective West to be a planned attack on the constitutional order.
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