Péter Szijjártó called it a great achievement that the Georgian government had been able to guarantee peace in the country despite the circumstances.Continue reading
Viktor Orbán has expressed his gratitude that Georgians did not allow their country to become a second Ukraine. Speaking at a press conference in Tbilisi on Tuesday, the Prime Minister stressed that no one dared to question the fact that the Georgian elections were free and democratic.
As Hungary Today reported, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his delegation traveled to Georgia on Monday to pay an official visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. The Hungarian delegation included Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, Márton Nagy, Minister for National Economy, and Finance Minister Mihály Varga. The visit was of particular relevance as on October 26, Georgia held parliamentary elections, which the ruling Georgian Dream party won by a landslide.
The Hungarian politician noted that he did not want to come to Georgia during the election campaign because it would have looked like interfering in the decision of the local people, so he preferred to wait for the election results.
Viktor Orbán and Irakli Kobachidze (L-R). Photo: MTI/Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Fischer Zoltán
Prime Minister Orbán congratulated his Georgian counterpart on his recent election victory, noting that he had followed the debate surrounding the election and the assessments of international organizations, and that
no one dared to question” that this election was a free and democratic election.
Official visit to #Georgia. One thing is clear about this weekend’s elections: the people of Georgia voted for peace and prosperity in free and democratic elections. We are here to support Georgia’s European integration efforts and to strengthen relations.
Thank you for… pic.twitter.com/JuaW7yZN8A
— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) October 29, 2024
Orbán also pointed out that Hungary is a neighboring country of Ukraine, and therefore knows what war is like, and is also aware of the value of peace.
Hungary is a pro-peace country in Europe and we appreciate your efforts, that you are also on the side of peace.
No one wants to destroy their own country and drag it into a senseless war, hence we understand the decision of the Georgian people who voted for peace, and so do we,” he stressed.
He made it clear that the Georgian people had made a pro-European choice, and he believes that both the ruling party and the opposition are committed to EU integration. “In fact, you are perhaps the only country in the world whose constitution says that all governments should strive for EU membership,” the politician said.
He added that Hungary was ready to give Georgia all the support it needed to become the best-prepared candidate country for EU membership by the end of the decade.
A busy day in #Georgia. As it is usual after elections, some people were happy, some were less happy. But we stood by the cause of peace! pic.twitter.com/LGUpjLyTT0
— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) October 29, 2024
At the press conference, Prime Minister Orbán noted that they had agreed to develop cooperation in strategic areas, that an agreement had recently been reached on the protection of investments, and that Hungary was also welcome to participate in the development of infrastructure in Georgia. He also mentioned
the plan to supply green electricity produced in the Caucasus to the European Union.
He added that four countries – Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary – are cooperating on this, and that a joint venture between the four countries has already been set up.
The Prime Minister said that the debates of the coming days should be dealt with in their proper place, although the result of the Georgian election is clear, the election itself was free and democratic, but there will be debates in Europe. “There is a handbook for European politics (…), a little handbook: if the liberal parties win, there is democracy, if the conservatives win, there is no democracy,” he concluded.
Georgia had been well prepared for the elections, which is why it was surprising that the votes had been partially recounted, András László, Fidesz MP and election observer, told the M1 news channel on Tuesday. He mentioned that the Hungarian observers had spoken to international observers at the polling stations, who had found the same thing as them, namely that “the rules are strict, the controls are adequate, the Georgian observers are on site and mass fraud, which would prove the fraud of 300,000 or more votes, is completely absent.”
There is said to have been fraud on a scale for which there is simply no evidence so far,”
highlighted the election observer.
Via MTI; Featured image via MTI/Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Fischer Zoltán