Budapest, September 5 (MTI) – The opposition E-PM party has voiced sharp criticism over recent remarks on the Ukrainian government by the speaker of parliament, and called on Laszlo Kover to withdraw his “intolerable statement”.
E-PM told MTI on Friday that Kover’s words were equal to an “unacceptable outburst against the Ukrainian government”. E-PM also called on Prime Minister Viktor Orban to distance himself from Kover, a member of the ruling Fidesz party.
On the sidelines of an event dubbed Freedom Express marking the 25th anniversary of the fall of Communism in Europe on Wednesday, Kover suggested that the Ukraine crisis was an “externally manipulated process” aimed at separating Europe and Russia “once and for all”. Kover also criticised Ukraine for a lack of democracy by suspending the election law preferential to the Hungarian ethnic community.
Kover highlighted the importance of Hungary’s being a NATO member, a status which he said could protect the country against Russia’s power.
Concerning the Ukraine crisis, Kover said it was not likely that “the military of a non-existent Ukrainian state” could defeat Russia, or that Russian President Vladimir Putin should “change his mind” or that international sanctions could make Russia surrender. “It would be good, instead, if regular cooperation could be developed between Europe and Russia, but there is no chance for that for the time being,” Kover said.