Márton Tompos, a Hungarian lawmaker from the opposition Momentum Movement party, criticized Orbán’s government for the “childish” approach to Sweden’s NATO bid.
“They miscalculated the whole thing. They expected to get something in exchange from Sweden,” Tompos told POLITICO, adding that opposition parties were trying to collect signatures to ask for an extraordinary session in parliament to finalize the ratification.
Hungary already broke a promise not to be the last to ratify Sweden’s NATO bid. The Turkish parliament voted in favor on Tuesday, some 20 months after Stockholm applied to join the military alliance, breaking its centuries of neutrality.
The procrastination in Budapest hasn’t escaped Washington’s attention.
“I know colleagues on both sides of the aisle share my expectation that Hungary — the final remaining ally to approve Sweden’s accession — will act soon to finish the job,” Mitch McConnell, the top Republican in the U.S. Senate, said Wednesday, adding: “Washington is watching.”
U.S. ambassador to Hungary, David Pressman, also piled pressure on Budapest to live up to its promise.
