Orbán provokes with Greater Hungary scarf
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán caused stir at a football match between Hungary and Greece in Budapest on Sunday. He showed up wearing a scarf depicting the borders of the historical Kingdom of Hungary, which covered territories that have belonged to neighbouring states since 1920, including Ukraine. Commentators are incensed.
Not to be taken lightly
Pravda sees this latest move by Orbán as revanchist provocation:
“No, it does not mean he now wants to reconquer the former territories. Nevertheless, that does not diminish the consequences. ... Even if such behaviour may seem like nothing more than an innocent flirtation with historical sentimentality, in some cases it can have bloody consequences. As we see every day in Ukraine, which is suffering the consequences of Russian aggression. ... In any case, Viktor Orbán has reminded us once again that he has more in common with Putin than one might think.”
Playing with fire
The Hungarian prime minister is playing into the Kremlin's hands, Népszava criticises:
“Orbán has acted irresponsibly and played with fire. Also because this is not the first time since the war began that the shadow of revisionism has fallen over Hungary. Since 24 February the Kremlin has said several times that all neighbouring countries have or could assert territorial claims on Ukraine. While Romania and Poland have officially rejected this in the clearest of terms, the foreign ministry in Budapest has kept a low profile and never explicitly distanced itself from these Russian-spread speculations.”
Too many Hungarians live under foreign rule
For Tamás Pilhál, commenting in the pro-government daily Magyar Nemzet, the historical kingdom of Hungary is an important patriotic reference point:
“Now the West also wants to ban us from remembering. ... The most despicable dictate in history [the 1920 Treaty of Trianon] is not to be mentioned, not even thought about. ... I have bad news for such people: the more they want to ban this commemoration, the more scarves, flags and maps we will use to make it clear that we will never forget and never forgive Trianon. And we will never abandon our brothers and sisters who were forced to live under foreign occupation.”
Stoking tensions
Denník N is annoyed:
“It's hard to comprehend why the Hungarian leadership really can't seem to grasp why its neighbours don't want it playing games with Hungarian symbolism in today's world. ... Imagine what the reaction would be if the German chancellor appeared with a scarf showing the historical borders of pre-1945 Germany, or if the Russian president sported a map that included the Baltic states or other post-Soviet countries. Just because the leader of little Hungary does it doesn't make it any less stupid.”