Hungary's governing Fidesz party is prepared to approve Sweden's NATO accession on Monday, ending over 18 months of delays and frustration from allies. The move comes after mounting pressure, including a bipartisan group of U.S. senators urging Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to act. Orbán had insisted on a visit from Sweden's Prime Minister to address concerns about disrespect towards Hungary's democracy, but indicated that the dispute is nearing a conclusion. Sweden's Defense Minister welcomed the news, and a visit from Ulf Kristersson to Budapest is planned for discussions on defense and security cooperation.
Hungary's President Katalin Novak resigned over a child sexual abuse case pardon, following public outrage over her decision to pardon a man convicted of hiding a string of child sexual abuses in a state-run children’s home. Novak, a member of the ruling conservative party Fidesz and a key ally of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, admitted to making a mistake and causing bewilderment and unrest. Her resignation marks a rare episode of turmoil for the right-wing party, which has been accused of dismantling democratic institutions and rigging the media in its favor.
A bipartisan group in Congress is drafting US sanctions that would target leading Hungarian political figures tied to the Orbán government, as the relationship between the two countries continues to spiral downwards. The sanctions bill would name former officials and government supporters, mostly affiliated with the Fidesz party of the prime minister, Viktor Orbán. Hungary announced that it plans to leave the Russia-controlled International Investment Bank (IIB), a day after the US imposed sanctions on the Budapest-based institution widely referred to as Moscow’s “Trojan horse” inside Europe. The most recent state department human rights country report noted an alarming level of corruption in Hungary.
