Finland has received the approval of the Hungarian parliament to become a member of NATO, and the last step remains, an official positive response from Turkey, writes Politico.
On Monday, the 27th of March, the Hungarian Parliament decided on the admission of Finland to NATO, and 182 members voted in favor and only six were against it, so Finland’s path to the alliance is practically free. A vote by the Turkish parliament is also expected soon, and it promises to be positive.
Hungary’s approval follows hesitation and political maneuvering. Officials told the allies for months that there were generally no objections. Then, in February, Budapest changed its narrative, with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán arguing that some of his subordinate lawmakers were unhappy with Scandinavian criticism of Hungary’s rule of law and democracy.
In March, immediately after the Turkish president announced his support for Finland, Hungary’s leading party again changed its opinion, declaring that it supports Finland’s membership in NATO.
The Turkish parliament is expected to ratify Finland’s application in the near future. At the same time, the situation in Sweden remains uncertain.
Following Turkey’s example, Hungary is now also hesitant to make a decision about Sweden.
This has angered Orbán’s critics, who are said to be fueling anti-Western sentiment in the country. This has consequences, and support for NATO and the European Union already decreases.
The representative of the Hungarian Prime Minister’s administration, Balázs Orbán, stated that the Swedish government regularly criticizes Hungary and its government. He stated that it is up to the Swedes to make sure that Hungarian questions are answered, and added that Hungary’s overall goal is to support Sweden’s admission to NATO.
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