Hungary FM: We Do Not Support Mark Rutte for NATO Secretary General

The outgoing prime minister of the Netherlands previously threatened to "force Hungary to its knees."

Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte (Photo: AFP)

The government does not support Mark Rutte's candidacy for the post of NATO Secretary General, as having 100-percent trust is essential in the North Atlantic Alliance and the Dutch prime minister has previously spoken of "bringing Hungary to its knees", Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in Romania's Târgu Mures on Monday. Responding to journalists' questions at a press brfing he held jointly with Hunor Kelemen, president of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ), 

Mr Szijjarto welcomed the fact that Romanian President Klaus Johannis is now an eastern candidate for the post of NATO Secretary General.

He emphasized that nowadays, everyone is talking about strengthening the eastern wing of the North Atlantic Alliance, but "somehow nobody thinks that if the threat comes from the East, then maybe the Secretary General should also come from the East".

Regarding the candidacy of outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, he underlined that the Hungarian government was unable to back him, as he previously threatened to "force Hungary to its knees."

– It is very difficult to imagine that a person who takes and maintains such a position can be elected to lead an organization where having 100-percent trust is essential (...) We have to die for each other here, and it has to be led by someone we can trust 100 percent," Mr Szijjarto underlined.

He then confirmed that he had a tough debate with his Lithuanian counterpart in Brussels earlier in the day and was of the view that Gabrielius Landsbergis was one of the most pro-war politicians among EU foreign ministers today.

And, no matter how much someone shouts at me, no matter how aggressive someone is, I remain pro-peace,

– he stressed.

– We, Hungarians, are pro-peace, and we do not support any measures that would increase the risk of escalating the war. We want peace as soon as possible, because only peace can save human lives, FM Szijjarto added.