Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of late Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, has described Hungary’s right-wing populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán as an accomplice of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
She made the comments in a video message shown at a large rally of opposition supporters in Budapest on Friday.
Be brave, Navalnaya said, repeating one of her husband’s central messages.
Navalnaya said that in addition to Orbán, there are other Putin supporters in Europe.
Putin dared to start the war against Ukraine because he knew that he would be helped from Europe, she added. Just as Putin does not represent all of Russia, Hungary cannot be equated with Orbán, she said.
The rally at which Navalnaya’s video was shown was organized by Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony together with student associations.
Karácsony is a politician from the small left-liberal opposition party PM.
After Navalny’s death in custody last month, Orbán and his Fidesz party publicly refused to mourn the Kremlin critic. When opposition members in parliament asked MPs to stand for a minute’s silence for Navalny, the Fidesz faction stubbornly remained seated.
Orbán declared that a chauvinist like Navalny did not deserve an honour in Hungary’s parliament. Orban has long had good relations with Putin.
Several opposition groups demonstrated in Budapest on Friday to mark Hungary’s National Day.
Orbán once again criticized the EU in a speech on Friday morning.
We have to occupy Brussels …, we are changing the EU, he said, referring to the upcoming European elections in June. Orbán faces criticism in Brussels for his attempts to undermine the rule of law.
