Hungary: The Swedish government is expected to receive the Hungarian parliament’s approval nearly two years after it applied for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
The vote is set to take place in Budapest after a meeting between Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Despite their differences, they are said to be “prepared to die for each other.” The two countries have signed a new military deal in a warm but tightly controlled joint press conference in the Hungarian capital, in which Sweden promised to sell four new Gripen aircraft.
Turkey has approved the Nordic countries’ NATO recognition, leaving Hungary as the last country to do so. Despite assurances from Orban, it has not yet been signed. The ruling Fidesz parliamentary group leader proposed last week that the matter be raised when Hungary’s parliament reopens after the winter break.
Sweden applied to join NATO, along with Finland, in May 2022, due to a change in security policy, prompted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine back in February. However, the delay in the application process has caused frustration among the coalition members, particularly with Orban, a right-wing nationalist who has established strong connections with Russia.
According to reports, the vote on Sweden is expected to be the third item on the parliamentary agenda. It will be preceded by an opening speech from Orbán on the priorities for the spring, and followed by the submission of Katalin Novak’s application to leave the job after her recent resignation as outgoing president.
If parliament votes in favour of the expected decision, which requires an absolute majority, the matter will be forwarded to Hungary’s interim president, László Kovar. He will have five days to sign the agreement and send it to Washington. Finland, which applied to join NATO alongside Sweden in May 2022, took three days to complete the process and officially became a member in July of last year.
Sweden’s application to join NATO was put on hold after opposition from Turkey and Hungary. After visiting Budapest, Kristersson and Orban announced “a new phase of cooperation between Hungary and Sweden.”
It was a significant moment for Kristersson’s centre-right coalition government, which has been tussling with NATO since taking over from social democrat Magdalena Andersen in 2022 with the support of the far-right Sweden Democrats.
Kristersson commented that, “We respect each other’s differences and sometimes reach good compromises. Now we are also entering into joint Nato cooperation with precisely the attitude of being prepared to fight for each other in a dangerous time.”
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