Hungary's rival parties hold parallel rallies ahead of vote

"We will be here even if hundreds of parachutists from Brussels fall from the sky. We will round them up, dust off their pants and send them back, some to Brussels and some to Kyiv. Orban vowed to maintain his friendly stance towards the Kremlin while resisting EU pressure, using colorful language to emphasize Hungary's independence from European Union directives and Western influence."

"Orban told Ukraine to stop "attacking" the central European country. It comes amid a growing row between the two countries, with Ukraine blocking Russian oil deliveries to Hungary and Hungarian authorities detaining a Ukrainian cash shipment. A banner at the front of the march read, "We won't be a Ukrainian colony!" The tensions reflect escalating disputes over energy, finances, and geopolitical alignment."

"The upcoming election put the country at a "crossroads" between Russia and the European Union. Viktor Orban acknowledged this critical juncture while pledging to preserve Hungary as an island of security and tranquility despite global turbulence, framing the choice as between maintaining Russian-friendly policies or adopting EU-aligned governance."

Hungary's major political parties held competing rallies on the country's national day as the April 12 elections approach. Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party, trailing in polls, organized a "peace march" where Orban criticized Ukraine for allegedly attacking Hungary and warned against EU interference. He pledged to maintain Hungary's friendly relations with Russia while positioning the country as an island of security. The rally featured nationalist messaging, including banners opposing Ukrainian influence. Opposition leader Peter Magyar's Tisza party held a separate rally promoting a pro-European future and support for Ukraine. The election represents a critical choice between Russia-aligned and EU-aligned governance for Hungary.

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