Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been rebuked again by European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Josep Borrell after attending a meeting of the Organization of Turkic-Speaking Countries (OTS) in Azerbaijan on Saturday.
Days ago, Brussels, EU countries, the United States and Kiev criticized Orban, after his visit to Moscow, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
Orbán met Putin at a time when Hungary holds the rotating six-month presidency of the EU Council.
EU officials sharply criticized his surprise visit, saying it threatened to undermine the EU’s stance on the war in Ukraine, and said Orban did not go there as a representative of Brussels.
Orban’s attendance at the informal OTS summit in Azerbaijan on Saturday was another event where he represented Hungary rather than the European Union, Borrell said.
“Hungary has not received a mandate from the Council of the EU to advance relations with the Organization of Turkic-Speaking States,” Borrell said in a statement.
Orbani has spoken to Brussels about his controversial visits.
“Are we not allowed to have dinner, or do we need an EUCO [Council of the EU] mandate for this too?” wrote his political director in X, after visiting Moscow.
The EU has opposed the OTS’ efforts to legitimize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus by admitting it as an observer member, Borrell said.
The island of Cyprus has been divided for decades now between the Greek-speaking Republic of Cyprus, recognized internationally, which is also a member of the EU, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognized only by Ankara.
OTS is an international organization that brings together Turkish-speaking countries. It was founded in 2009 by Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
Hungary became its observer member in 2018. /REL/
