An activist and municipal councilor for a Hungarian opposition party caused a stir during a news conference in Strasbourg, France, where Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was outlining Hungary's plans for its six-month presidency of the European Union.
The activist, identified as Márton Gyekiczki, interrupted Orbán's speech on immigration by rushing towards the podium and throwing a stack of banknotes at the prime minister, accusing him of selling out the country to leaders like Putin and Xi Jinping.
Orbán, known for his government's clashes with the EU over democratic rights and close ties with autocratic regimes, was set to address the European Parliament the following day. The disruption highlighted the ongoing tensions between Hungary and the EU.
Gyekiczki, a member of Hungary’s Democratic Coalition party, was swiftly removed from the room by security. The party's president, former Prime Minister Ference Gyurcsány, expressed pride in Gyekiczki's actions, labeling the Hungarian government as traitorous.
Orbán, who has faced criticism within the EU for rule-of-law violations, formed the Patriots for Europe group in the parliament, aligning with far-right parties across the continent. Despite this, he criticized the EU's economic competitiveness and immigration policies during the news conference.
Orbán's remarks on the declining EU economy, tariffs on Chinese goods, and immigration leading to border checks within the Schengen area sparked debate. He proposed a 'Schengen Summit' for member countries to address border policies collectively.
Responding to the disruption, Orbán downplayed the incident as a cultural disagreement, stating that in Hungarian political culture, calling someone a scoundrel simply signifies disagreement.
