Media from US to Russia Quote PM Orban's Thoughts

Reports on the peace march in Budapest describe the event as a rally gathering tens of thousands people, with the majority of the media rendering objectively the thoughts of Hungary's prime minister.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban addresses the peace march organized by the Civil Alliance Forum – Civil Alliance Public Benefit Foundation (COF-COKA) on Margaret Island, June 1, 2024 (Photo: MTI/Szilard Koszticsak)

International media outlets from the US to Russia have reported on the peace march in Budapest as a rally gathering tens of thousands people, with the majority rendering the thoughts of Hungary's prime minister in an objective manner. 

Tens of thousands marched for peace in Budapest (Photo: MTI/Zoltan Mathe)

"A crowd of tens of thousands gathered in Hungary’s capital on Saturday in a show of strength behind Prime Minister Viktor Orban a week ahead of the European Parliament elections, a contest he has cast as an existential turning point between peace in Europe and a world war," the Voice of America writes, citing AP News.

"The demonstration, dubbed by organizers as a 'peace march', brought Orban’s supporters from all over Hungary and neighboring countries, who marched along the Danube River in Budapest from the city's iconic Chain Bridge onto Margaret Island, waving flags and signs reading 'No War'."

"Orban, whose 14 years in power make him the European Union's longest serving leader, has focused his campaign for the June 9 ballot on the war in Ukraine, portraying his domestic and international opponents as warmongers who seek to involve Hungary directly in the conflict. Critics say his appeals for an immediate cease-fire in Ukraine would allow Russia to retain territories it has occupied and embolden it further," the news site writes.

Hungary wants to prevent Europe from entering war with Russia, reads the headline of the article published by TASS, reporting on the peace march.  "According to the prime minister, it is necessary to prevent the implementation of EU and NATO’s dangerous plans that lead to the expansion of the conflict in Ukraine and to vote for parties that advocate peace, not war, during the upcoming elections to the European Parliament," the Russian news agency reports.

"Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban led thousands of his citizens in a peace rally in Central Budapest on Saturday,  demanding an end to the war in Ukraine and to stop the escalation between the West and Russia," the Breitbart highlights. "The rally, which came less than a week before 450 million EU citizens will head to the polls to select the next European Parliament, saw thousands march from the Chain Bridge to Margaret Island in the middle of the Danube," the paper writes.

Reuters reported as if parliamentary elections were coming up in Hungary.

"Tens of thousands of Hungarians marched through downtown Budapest on Saturday in support of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who faces an unexpected challenge from a political newcomer ahead of next week's European Parliament election," Reuters says, referring to Peter Magyar.

"Orban has long been at odds with fellow EU members over a range of issues, including refusing to send weapons to Ukraine and maintaining economic ties with Moscow after Russian forces invaded Ukraine in 2022," says the report.

"Viktor Orban: Fico nearly gave his life for peace" reads the headline of the article by the Slovak daily Uj szo, reporting on the peace march. 

"Addressing the peace march, Viktor Orban first asked God's blessing on the Hungarians of Transcarpathia, who are awaiting the end of the war, exposed and deprived of their rights. "The day is not far off when your fate is to change for the better," he said. Orban then sent his  greetings to Robert Fico, Slovakia’s pro-peace prime minister. "He almost gave his life for peace, but he is as tough as nails, he is not the kind who allows himself to be eliminated,"

the Hungarian-language daily published in Slovakia highlighted. "According to Hungary's prime minister, you cannot wage a war for peace with weapons, there is no solution to the war on the battlefield," Uj szo emphasized.

"A peace march is taking place in Budapest to protest against involving Hungary in the conflict in Ukraine and NATO sparking a new war in Europe. Tens of thousands of people are taking part. According to the organizers, not only Hungarians from the countryside but also Hungarians from beyond the borders arrived for the rally. The march will end on Margaret Island, where Prime Minister Viktor Orban will address the crowd," a brief and objective report said on RIA Novosti's Telegram channel released concurrently with the event.

Later, the news agency reported on Viktor Orban's  speech in detail and highlighted the Hungarian prime minister saying that the sending of new money and weapons to Ukraine, the negotiations on the deployment of nuclear weapons in Europe, the NATO mission in Ukraine and the return of mandatory military conscription showed that "there seem to be no brakes on the pro-war train, and the engine driver has gone mad".

"A week ahead of the European Parliament elections, tens of thousands of people gathered in Budapest yesterday in support of Viktor Orban," Il Manifesto reports on its website. "Pro-Orban demonstrators from Hungary and neighboring countries attended what the organizers dubbed a peace march, and walked along the Danube River in Budapest from the city's iconic Chain Bridge to Margaret Island. They marched with national flags and signs reading No War."

Il Corriere della Sera has also covered the rally in Hungary, mentioning that tens of thousands of people took part in the peace march in Budapest. "At the end of the annual event, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban will speak about the war in Ukraine and how the conflict could spread to other European countries," they wrote.

Tens of thousands of people rallied in supported of Viktor Orban ahead of the European Parliament elections in central Budapest, Spain's state radio and TV channel (RTVE) began its report on its website.

RTVE quoted several thoughts from Viktor Orban's speech delivered at Saturday's peace march, and highlighted that Hungary's prime minister hopes that Fidesz will profit from the strengthening of support for the "far right" throughout Europe. The report noted that, unlike Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Orban continues to refuse to send arms to Ukraine and maintains economic ties with Moscow. RTVE also made mention of Peter Magyar, describing him as a political newcomer because of whom Viktor Orban is facing difficulties ahead of the EP elections.
 

Cover photo:  Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban addresses the peace march organized by the Civil Alliance Forum – Civil Alliance Public Benefit Foundation (COF-COKA) on Margaret Island, June 1, 2024 (Photo:MTI/Szilard Koszticsak)