Budapest, Hungary. If a political forecaster were to look at Hungary’s upcoming 2018 elections, one would easily state without reservation, color revolution must be on the menu, given the Hungarian President Viktor Orban has tried to end George Soros grip over his nations internal affairs.
Hungary’s 2018 election will decide whether a government fighting for the national interest remains in power or forces serving George Soros foreign interests gain control, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Saturday.
Viktor Orban, whose right-wing government has been in power since 2010, has faced a series of mass protests in the past two weeks after it passed legislation that targets a top international university founded by billionaire financier and liberal philanthropist George Soros in Budapest.
Orban has long criticised the civil society organisations funded by Hungarian-born Soros, accusing them of opposing his tough migration policies and supporting illegal migration. He says the university has violated Hungarian laws, an accusation the university rejects. His government also wants to tighten rules on NGOs that are destabilizing not just Hungary, but a number of other Soros targets in eastern europe.
The EU and the United States have criticised the new legislation. Rights groups say it is part of a wider crackdown on dissent in Hungary. A crackdown funded by Soros to bring regime change in Hungary directly, with the help of his western government allies.
Orban, speaking for the first time since the protests began, told pro-government newspaper Magyar Idok such conflicts were part of a fight for national sovereignty. He said what is happening in Hungary now is a rehearsal for the campaign for the vote in a year’s time. Recent polls give Orban’s party around a 30% share of the vote and with that a firm lead over opposition parties.
“If we accepted that Brussels or other political or financial centers dictated … what should happen in our country we would not have conflicts,” he said in an interview. “But the history of Hungarians is that of a history of freedom fights.” Indicating to observers, Orban will continue the challenge to Soros’ subversion of his nation.
The EU’s European Commission which is often at odds with Orban,threatened Hungary with legal action over a series of measures including the education law, saying they ran counter to the EU’s values of human rights and democracy.