play_arrow

keyboard_arrow_right

Listeners:

Top listeners:

skip_previous skip_next
00:00 00:00
playlist_play chevron_left
volume_up
  • cover play_arrow

Hungary’s Anti-Migration PM Interrupted At EU News Briefing

Background

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

STRASBOURG/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Hungary’s fiercely anti-migration prime minister lashed out at the European Union during a tense news conference interrupted by a furious activist and politician.

Viktor Orbán, who tightly controls media at home, appeared visibly shocked when Márton Gyekiczki interrupted him as he spoke about his opposition to immigration.

Gyekiczki, a municipal councilor and member of the opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) party’s youth movement, ran toward the podium where Orbán sat.

He then threw a stack of what appeared to be banknotes at the prime minister. “How much did you sell out the country for? How much did you sell out the country for, Mr. Prime Minister?” Gyekiczki yelled as the papers scattered. “He sold out to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, he sold out to [Chinese President] Xi Jinping!” He was soon pushed to the ground by bodyguards and moved out of the press room.

Orbán responded that “in Hungary’s culture, calling each other a traitor basically means that we disagree with each other.

The DK president, former Prime Minister Ference Gyurcsány, later wrote on social media that he was “proud” of Gyekiczki for his actions. “We will say it everywhere and always: Hungary has a traitorous government!” he added.

The disruption during a press briefing in Strasbourg, France, came as Orbán was set to address the European Parliament there on Wednesday during Hungary’s six-month rotating presidency of the bloc.

UNDER FIRE

His government has long been at odds with the EU over what it sees as his curtailing of democratic rights and press freedom. A Worthy News reporter and several other journalists remain on the government’s blacklist for reports questioning policies.

Orbán has increasingly come under fire for his close relations with autocracies like Russia and China, although his government also supports persecuted Christians.

He was due to receive a mixed reception in the EU parliament on Wednesday.

Many lawmakers there pushed for his government to be deprived of billions in EU funds over what they see as rule-of-law and corruption violations.

Billions of euros (dollars) from the EU and Hungarian taxpayers were given to companies run by political allies, friends, and family members of Orbán, according to EU officials and investigative reporters.

Two years ago, the parliament declared that Hungary under Orbán had become “a hybrid regime of electoral autocracy,” removing it from the community of democracies.

Yet Orbán successfully formed the Patriots for Europe group within the parliament this year, uniting eurosceptic right-wing parties from around the continent to create the third-largest group in the EU legislature.

EU ECONOMY

Speaking to reporters in the French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday, Orbán condemned what he sees as a declining EU economy and lagging competitiveness with the United States and China. He called that “the most serious challenge we have to face.”

Orbán also said he would open a bottle of champagne when former U.S. President Donald J. Trump returns to the White House after the November 5 elections.

Several days later, he wants to host an informal EU summit as Hungary has the rotating EU presidency.

The gathering in Hungary will focus on making a pact on improving the EU’s competitiveness.

He noted that Europeans pay up to five times more for electricity and natural gas than their American counterparts, partly due to boycotting Russia.

The West wants to punish Russia with energy sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, “but we want a ceasefire,” Orbán suggested.

Adding to his concern are reports that several members of the 150,000 ethnic Hungarians living in western Ukraine have been killed or injured while fighting.

Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.


Latest News from Worthy News

Shutdown Standoff Deepens as Democrats Block DHS Funding Over ICE Restrictions
Shutdown Standoff Deepens as Democrats Block DHS Funding Over ICE Restrictions
Tuesday, March 24, 2026

The partial government shutdown stretched into its 39th day Tuesday as Senate Democrats rejected a Republican-backed plan to reopen the Department of Homeland Security, drawing sharp criticism from conservatives who argue politics is being placed ahead of national security.

Louisville to Pay $800K After Christian Photographer Wins Free Speech Case
Louisville to Pay $800K After Christian Photographer Wins Free Speech Case
Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Louisville, Kentucky has agreed to pay $800,000 in attorney’s fees to Christian photographer Chelsey Nelson following her legal victory over the city’s public accommodations law, which had required her to photograph same-sex weddings if she offered services for traditional marriages.

Hezbollah’s Missile Power Decimated, But Deadly Strikes Continue in Israel
Hezbollah’s Missile Power Decimated, But Deadly Strikes Continue in Israel
Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Israeli intelligence assessments indicate Hezbollah has been significantly weakened, losing an estimated 85% of its missile arsenal since the war ignited by Hamas’ October 7 massacre. The Iranian-backed terror group is now believed to possess between 11,000 and 13,000 rockets—roughly one-sixth of its pre-war stockpile.

Trump Declares ‘Regime Change’ in Iran as U.S. Pushes Toward Ceasefire Framework
Trump Declares ‘Regime Change’ in Iran as U.S. Pushes Toward Ceasefire Framework
Tuesday, March 24, 2026

U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the ongoing conflict with Iran has already resulted in what he described as a “regime change,” signaling a dramatic shift in leadership dynamics within the Iranian government as Washington presses forward with negotiations to end hostilities.

Israel Signals Intent to Establish Security Buffer in Southern Lebanon Up to Litani River
Israel Signals Intent to Establish Security Buffer in Southern Lebanon Up to Litani River
Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Tuesday that Israeli forces plan to occupy southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, outlining a strategy to create a “defensive buffer” amid ongoing conflict with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization.

U.S. Prepares Rapid Deployment of 82nd Airborne as Iran Tensions Escalate
U.S. Prepares Rapid Deployment of 82nd Airborne as Iran Tensions Escalate
Tuesday, March 24, 2026

The Pentagon is preparing to deploy a brigade combat team from the Army’s elite 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing U.S. officials, signaling a significant escalation in America’s posture toward Iran.

Senior Nigerian Evangelical Leader Abducted As Church Attacks Raise Alarm
Senior Nigerian Evangelical Leader Abducted As Church Attacks Raise Alarm
Tuesday, March 24, 2026

A senior leader of one of Nigeria’s largest evangelical denominations has been abducted in Nigeria’s central Plateau State while concern remains about several Christian worshipers kidnapped elsewhere in the turbulent African nation, Christian sources said Tuesday.

WHO WE ARE

The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.

CONTACT