"A great shame for Soros, Biden, Harris, Clinton, Nuland, and Obama's America. The U.S. now has a President sentenced without sanctions!" - Georgi Markov, a former Bulgarian constitutional judge residing in Hungary, told the right-wing Bulgarian Pik.bg news portal in arecent interview. According to Mr. Markov, Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20 will usher in a new era in global politics. He emphasized that the new U.S. administration will not just bring new changes in the United States, but also across Europe.
This year will be Viktor Orban's year,
– he stated.
PM Orban Among Leaders of Major Powers
In the article, the political expert reminded readers that in 2016, Viktor Orban was the only European politician to support Donald Trump. "We are twins," Mr. Markov quoted the Republican politician's remarks to Hungary's prime minister during his first term in the White House. The former constitutional judge noted that although Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential race, the relationship between Mr. Trump and Viktor Orban remained strong. In the spring of 2022, Budapest hosted the first CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) event outside the United States. Later that same year, Mr. Orban was invited to speak at the CPAC gathering in Dallas. In both 2023 and 2024, the conference was again held in Budapest.
The two top politicians share similar positions on numerous issues. Mr. Markov recalled how Mr. Orban supported his ally during the 2024 U.S. presidential campaign. "He opposes war, illegal migration, gender ideology, and stands for nation-states, historical remembrance, peace and Christian values," PM Orban said.
The expert also highlighted that Mr. Orban’s network of alliances extends beyond Europe, as he maintains strong relationships with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.
A Strengthening European Right-Wing Alliance
The former Bulgarian constitutional judge believes that 2025 will be a pivotal year for Viktor Orban, and not slely because of Donald Trump’s return to office. He pointed to the growing strength and unity of Europe’s right wing. On June 30, 2024, in Vienna, Austrian leader Herbert Kickl and Czech politician Andrej Babis joined Mr. Orban in founding the "Patriots for Europe" alliance, which has since attracted numerous right-wing politicians.
By now, the alliance has become one of Europe’s strongest political coalitions, supported by prominent figures such as Geert Wilders, Marine Le Pen, Jordan Bardella, Matteo Salvini, Santiago Abascal, Andre Ventura, and Tom Van Grieken.
Mr. Markov did not rule out the possibility of a Central European Union, encompassing Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Serbia, and Slovenia. He believes this new alliance could play a vital role in European politics, rejecting war, migration, and gender ideology. Mr. Orban’s influence extends beyond the region, according to Mr. Markov, who underlined that the Hungarian prime minister’s pro-peace stance and migration policies from 2015 have had a significant impact on Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Germany's snap elections, scheduled for February 23, could see the AfD secure up to 22% of the vote, according to recent polls.
PM Orban is also highly popular in Bulgaria, with as many as two of the Balkan country's leading politicians havinge close ties with him. They are former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, whose friendship with Mr. Orban spans more than two decades, and President Rumen Radev, whose relationship with the Hungarian leader has grown stronger in recent years. Mr. Markov expressed hope that these good relations with Mr. Orban will help Bulgaria break free from its "colonial dependence on the Soros empire."
Schengen expansion during Hungary’s EU presidency
Discussing Viktor Orban’s successes in 2024, Mr. Markov highlighted Hungary’s EU presidency, during which Bulgaria and Romania officially joined the Schengen zone via land routes on January 1. The accession was celebrated in both countries, particularly by ethnic Hungarians in Romania, who can now travel more freely. Mr. Markov also touched on Hungary-Romania relations, emphasizing how Mr. Orban openly supported Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, a move that's led to improved ties between the two nations. He noted that the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ), now a coalition partner in the government, continues to represent Hungarian interests.
Cover photo: Hungarian PM Viktor Orban (Photo: MTI/Zoltan Mathe)
