Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was quoted on Monday by European news portal Euroactiv supporting the efforts of Macedonia’s main opposition party to block a solution to the long-standing name dispute with Greece during the party's Skopje meeting on June 2. In a video message, Orbán hailed the party’s "wise and courageous leaders... who won’t bend under pressure from foreign powers".
Euractiv notes that Orbán's messages are contrary to those of other Democratic Christian leaders, such as Elmar Brok, a close ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and European People’s Party leader Joseph Daul, who voiced his support for a "mutually acceptable solution".
European Parliament Vice-President and Syriza member Dimitris Papadimoulis told Euractiv that almost all EU political leaders, and the overwhelming majority of MEPs, support the Tsipras-Zaev efforts to finally resolve this 25-year dispute.
Papadimoulis, a close ally of Greek premier Alexis Tsipras, described Orbán as "the sad exception."
"A name for all uses, with real changes, to bring an end to irredentism and possible future disputes," he said.
This is not the first time that Orbán has opposed his partners from the European right. The Dutch Christian Democratic party CDA asked on Saturday for Orbán's Fidesz party to be ousted from the EPP if he continues in the same vein.
SOURCE: MIA
