Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban congratulates Russian president and fellow strongman Vladimir Putin on his reelection, in a rare message of support from an EU country.
Orban’s press office informs state news agency MTI that a letter of congratulations was sent by Orban to Putin today.
“I trust that your re-election means a guarantee that the development of our bilateral relations can continue in the upcoming period,” the right-wing Orban, 54, is quoted as saying by MTI.
Orban, who polls suggest will be reelected himself on April 8, has repeatedly clashed with Brussels over the rule of law and immigration, and he and Putin visit each other regularly.
Orban, an early supporter of US President Donald Trump, signed a controversial loan deal with Putin in 2014 to finance the expansion of ex-communist Hungary’s only nuclear power plant.
— AFP
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