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)

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)