"National consultations" on Ukraine start in Hungary
In particular, citizens will be asked about blocking further EU assistance to Kyiv and opposing negotiations on Ukraine's membership in the European Union
On Friday, November 17, the Hungarian government announced the launch of national consultations.
The questions for the informal poll address a number of controversial issues. Among them, in particular, are questions about migration, LGBTQ+ rights, and support for Ukraine, including the proposal to block further EU assistance to Kyiv.
The Hungarian government also asks whether it is worth sending "even more weapons purchased with EU money" to the battlefield in Ukraine. The commentary notes that "Brussels has been pro-war from the very beginning."
One of the questions in the Hungarian national consultation survey is as follows: Should Hungary block the EU's plan to provide Ukraine with a 4-year, €50 billion aid package if the bloc does not unfreeze billions in aid to Budapest, which has been postponed due to concerns about Prime Minister Viktor Orban's failure to comply with rule of law and human rights standards.
Among the options for answering the question are: "We should not pay more to support Ukraine until we receive the money we are owed."
The survey includes other questions about Ukraine, including opposition to negotiations for Ukraine to eventually become an EU member.
The survey will be mailed to every Hungarian citizen who is eligible to vote.
According to the Associated Press, "they typically receive responses from less than 20% of Hungarian adults, but the results reflect up to 99% agreement with the government's position."
National consultations are often used by the Hungarian authorities to consolidate citizens around various aspects of public policy. This time they will be held for the 13th time.
The previous one, in 2022, concerned EU sanctions against Russia. They were attended by 1.4 out of 8 million eligible citizens (17.5%). The Hungarian government reported that 97% of the returned questionnaires were against sanctions.
Background. Meanwhile, Hungary and Russia signed a plan to jointly build the Paks 2 nuclear power plant.
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