Ferenc Gyurcsány, Hungary’s former Prime Minister, posted a letter on his Facebook page addressing Angela Merkel. He mentioned the current Hungarian government’s new billboards and urged the Chancellor of Germany not to turn a blind eye to Prime Minister Orbán’s allegedly disruptive politics regarding Europe.
Merkel already stated that she doesn’t agree with Fidesz’s new billboards portraying George Soros and Jean-Claude Juncker with the text, “You also have the right to know what Brussels plans!” She also stood in support of Juncker and promised to express her disagreement at future conferences with Hungary.
Gyurcsány questioned this statement, “What will happen then?” he asked, suggesting that the “anti-European atmosphere” won’t dissolve just because of this. The former Hungarian PM thinks Orbán wants to divide Europe instead of unifying it. He speculated that Merkel’s disregard of Orbán’s policies was part of how she represented the interests of German investors and that she wanted to preserve the unity of the European People’s Party, of which both her CDU and Orbán’s Fidesz are members. Gyurcsány forecasted “terrible years” for both Europe and Hungary if Germany remains inactive.
While the former Prime Minister is aware that Orbán is elected by the voters, he says that Merkel, even if not deliberately, helps the PM maintain his ascendancy by being permissive in her politics. He concluded the letter by alleging that he knows that Merkel understands what he and many of the Hungarian voters are asking for.
Gyurcsány admitted that he and Merkel had disagreements in the past. Still, he insists he respects the German Chancellor and considers her a great politician. Last year, he even shared how an argument with Merkel influenced him to resign from his post.
featured image: Angela Merkel and Ferenc Gyurcsány; via Szilárd Koszticsák/MTI