Miklós Haraszti (source: Sme)
“It seems that it is finally a chance to defeat Viktor Orbán,” said Miklós Haraszti, a former Hungarian politician, writer and dissident about the upcoming election in Hungary. “Unprecedented fellowship of the oppositionists who connected against him from the right and left political spectre, disproportionate election rights in Hungary and an almost American type of election from both sides changes it mathematically,” he added in the interview with the Sme daily.
He also opined that Finance Ministry Igor Matovič really believed in the agreement about Sputnik V vaccines. He believed that Sputnik V is a good thing so he trusted Orbán’s home propaganda, which claimed that Hungary was successful in the fight against Covid-19 because of Sputnik V, but that was not the case, Haraszti said.He also opined that Finance Ministry Igor Matovič really believed in the agreement about Sputnik V vaccines . He believed that Sputnik V is a good thing so he trusted Orbán’s home propaganda, which claimed that Hungary was successful in the fight against Covid-19 because of Sputnik V, but that was not the case, Haraszti said.
“We were not successful and Sputnik, which is not a favourite among Hungarians, was the only option because if the people wanted to choose between the vaccines, they would have to wait for an incredibly long time and the numbers would be really high,” Haraszti explained. “So Orbán would get from this agreement the citizenship and Matovič would gain Sputnik, which really does not seem like a victory,” he added when asked about the March negotiations on the Russian vaccine of then-PM Matovič with Viktor Orbán.
What is the real state of democracy in Hungary? Will the upcoming parliamentary election change anything or will Viktor Orbán strengthen his position in the institutions? And how is Orbán using the pandemic to push through the local propaganda? Learn more in the Sme daily's interview with Miklós Haraszti. The interview is in English, with Slovak subtitles.
