Gov’t Spox Hits Back at Tusk Over Criticism of Hungary’s ‘Illiberal’ Handling of Pandemic

MTI-Hungary Today 2021.04.15.

Zoltan Kovács, the state secretary for international communications and relations, has hit back at European People’s Party leader Donald Tusk on Twitter on Thursday, saying his latest criticism of Hungary made him sound “like the leader of the Liberals”.

Tusk had said earlier that Hungary and Poland were “breaking tragic records” in new coronavirus cases and deaths. “Illiberal democracies in action. They have promised less freedom but more safety and security. And they have kept their promise, but only its first half,” he said.

FM Szijjártó: Hungarian Gov't's 'Non-Textbook' Response to Covid Proved Effective

The Hungarian government’s measures taken to tackle the health and economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic have proved to be effective, the minister of foreign affairs and trade said on Monday. Péter Szijjártó said that the government had “not taken the textbook approach; it wanted more than the EU’s vaccine purchases and it did not […]Continue reading

Kovács said in reaction that instead of holding EU institutions accountable for “bungling vaccine procurement” Tusk was “leading the party of Kohl, W. Martens into the wilderness, sounding like the leader of the Liberals”.

Had Hungary waited for the EU, it would not be leading the bloc in vaccination rate, Kovács added.

Featured photo by Tibor Illyés/MTI