Boycotts emergency parliamentary session – Hungary is the last NATO country needed to approve Sweden's entry into the alliance<\/p>\n
Hungary's ruling party boycotted the extraordinary parliamentary session to approve Sweden's accession to NATO. It is recalled that this meeting was scheduled at the request of the opposition.<\/p>\n
The move came despite the presence of ambassadors from NATO countries in the galleries of parliament – hoping to persuade Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n's Fidesz party to keep its promise that the Swedish application would be approved "at the earliest possible opportunity".<\/p>\n
REUTERS\/Bernadette Szabo<\/p>\n
This leaves Hungary as the last NATO country needed to approve Sweden's entry into the alliance.<\/p>\n
Instead, Hungary today demanded that Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristerson first visit Budapest before its parliament decides on Stockholm's request.<\/p>\n
Christerson said last week that it would be "natural" to visit the Hungarian capital only after a parliamentary confirmation from Hungary, as there is no need for bilateral negotiations.<\/p>\n
M\u00e1t\u00e9 Kocsis, who leads the Fidesz parliamentary group, said the ratification of Sweden's NATO membership could take place at the start of the regular parliamentary term, currently scheduled for the end of February, "under the condition of meeting between the Hungarian and Swedish prime ministers in Budapest".<\/p>\n
This message was echoed by Zolt\u00e1n Kov\u00e1cs, Orb\u00e1n's international representative.<\/p>\n
"The head of the parliamentary group stressed that the Swedish government's commitment to NATO membership should trigger a visit to Hungary, similar to its approach with Turkey, implying that ratification depends on the importance Sweden attaches to it integration and its willingness to engage in direct discussions in Budapest," said Kov\u00e1cs.<\/p>\n
Disappointment of the USA<\/b><\/p>\n
The United States is disappointed that Hungary's ruling party blocked an opportunity to hold a vote on Sweden's NATO accession protocol, State Department Deputy Spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters today.<\/p>\n