Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto promised to his Sierra Leone counterpart, David Francis, on Friday that Budapest will stand by the western African country if the European Union interferes in its internal affairs
BUDAPEST (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th April, 2023) Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto promised to his Sierra Leone counterpart, David Francis, on Friday that Budapest will stand by the western African country if the European Union interferes in its internal affairs.
Sierra Leone's opposition politicians and some government supporters have accused EU Ambassador Manuel Mueller of interference ahead of June's general election, prompting an angry rebuke from Brussels. The EU accused its critics of "disinformation."
"I am frustrated by remarks of the head of the EU delegation that can be interpreted as interference in its internal affairs. I asked my friend David to tell me if this happens again so that I raise this at a Foreign Affairs Council meeting," Szijjarto told a news conference in Sierra Leone's Freetown.
The Hungarian diplomat said his country was used to being berated by "others," in a hint at EU criticism of Budapest's take on democracy and, more recently, of its stance on the conflict in Ukraine.
The European Union and the United States have been pushing Hungary to take a hard line on Russia over its military operation in Ukraine. The US Congress is reportedly drafting a bipartisan bill that will target former Hungarian officials with sanctions over Budapest's refusal to cut ties to Moscow.
