Hungarian PM urges EU to halt import of Ukrainian agricultural goods
AP Photo / Petr David Josek
The Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán, called for an end to the import of Ukrainian agrarian products to the countries of the European Union.
The head of the Hungarian government stated this, according to Magyar Nemzet.
"The problem for European farmers is that Brussels sets rules that make production more and more expensive for them," Orbán said, commenting on farmers' demonstrations in European countries.
He added that it is allowed to import agricultural products to Europe from countries where these rules do not apply.
"This means that Ukrainian agricultural products should not enter the European market," Orbán is convinced.
According to him, European farmers "are not listened to by anyone," and they allegedly feel that "the distance between them and the people who make decisions in Brussels is like from heaven to earth."
It is worth noting that Hungary still has not canceled the unilateral ban on the import of Ukrainian agricultural products, which has been in effect since last year.
For reference:
Hungary continues to maintain active trade and diplomatic relations with Russia despite the full-scale war in Ukraine. At the same time, Budapest refuses military aid to our country.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has repeatedly blocked the introduction of sanctions against Russia, as well as aid to Ukraine from the European Union.
In 2023 and early 2024, Central and Eastern Europe saw a series of strikes and protests by farmers against decisions related to the agricultural sector.
Agrarian protests in Europe have been going on for at least the last 15 years. Still, with the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, they intensified and took on a new meaning due to the EU decision regarding benefits for Ukrainian agro-industry in trade on the EU market.
After the temporary embargo imposed by the EU and canceled in September 2023, protests are actively continuing again in Poland, France, and Germany – even though some countries decided to extend the ban on the import of Ukrainian grain on their own.
As "Detector Media" writes, the blocking of roads and checkpoints is supported by European right-wing radical movements, and Russia, in every possible way, fuels them with propaganda to strengthen Euroscepticism among the population of these countries.
