Hungary PM CoS-Result Of Vote On Sweden Bid Would Be 'Highly Questionable'

Gergely Gulyás, Minister of the Hungarian Prime Minister's Office (effectively PM Viktor Orban's chief of staff)stated in a weekly press conference that it was perhaps beneficial for Sweden that a parliamentary vote on its NATO bid is not taking place presently, saying that "Maybe it's better for the Swedes this way. If we had to vote now, the outcome would be highly questionable".

• Máté Kocsis, leader of Orban's populist Fidesz party in the National Assembly, said on 22 September that "the Swedes have apparently decided that they do not want to be members of NATO." This follows the publication of aneducational video in Swedenthat Budapest claims is defamatory in critiquing the state of democratic institutions and rule of law in Hungary.
• Hungary is one of two NATO members (alongside Turkey) that has yet to ratify Sweden's NATO bid. The Turkish ratification process is bogged down amid Ankara's desire to secure the purchase of US F-16 fighter jets.
• While Budapest raises bilateral disagreements with Stockholm as the reason for the delay, many attribute the hold up to Hungary attempting to force the EU's hand into providing it with currently-withheld cohesion and COVID recovery funding.