'Drain the swamp': Orban calls for European Parliament to be dissolved
Russia's full-scale invasion in Ukraine "only had losers so far", Hungary's prime minister said on Wednesday, stating that "both sides and the European economy" have all taken a hit from Moscow's aggression and using the opportunity to blast Brussels for the sanctions once again.
The nearly three-hour news conference, held annually, is nearly the only occasion of the year when Victor Orban fields questions from the international media or critical Hungarian outlets.
The illiberal right-wing leader, who won a fourth straight term in office in April, has engaged in frequent battles with the EU, which accuses him of violating democratic norms and overseeing large-scale official corruption.
But on Wednesday, Orban blasted the European Parliament for recent revelations of a cash-for-favours corruption scandal that allegedly involves Qatar and borrowed a phrase from former US President Donald Trump, saying it was time to "drain the swamp" in Brussels.
The scandal, Orban said, had drawn into question the credibility of the institution and that he supports abolishing the body as it currently exists.
Orban also called for the European Parliament members to be delegated by national parliaments instead of being elected.
"The Hungarians would like for the European Parliament to be dissolved in its current form," Orban said.
"The degree to which the reputation of the European Parliament in Hungary has been damaged is easy to answer: not at all, because it couldn't have been any lower."
Wednesday's news conference came as the EU has frozen more than €12 billion in funding to Hungary over concerns that Orban's government has cracked down on judicial independence, overseen official corruption and abridged minority rights.
In September, the
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