Hungary's Orban highlights EU dysfunction with a surprise trip to Georgia

BRUSSELS -- Prime Minister Viktor Orban is again highlighting really dysfunctional nan European Union's family of 27 nations tin be, pinch nan Hungarian leader defiantly going against nan travel successful reacting to Georgia’s contested election.

Orban, Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest partner wrong nan EU and Europe's longest-serving leader, presently holds nan rotating presidency of nan EU, which often is nan bloc's world bullhorn and which Orban has utilized successful ways that item internal divisions.

The Hungarian leader has played nan spoiler connected showing unity successful confronting Russia complete its warfare successful Ukraine. Now, different constituent of contention has emerged successful nan disputed predetermination outcome successful Georgia, wherever nan guidance alleges vote-rigging by nan populist ruling party.

Orban’s agency said he was taking a astonishment travel Monday to nan Georgian superior to meet pinch his friends there.

EU institutions, meanwhile, had spent overmuch of nan play cautiously weighing a negotiated connection that would show their displeasure pinch nan claimed triumph by nan Georgian Dream party, which they consciousness is progressively leaning toward Moscow and distant from Brussels moreover arsenic galore successful nan ex-Soviet federation favour embarking connected a way toward joining nan EU.

But Orban, progressively seen arsenic Putin's sound successful nan bloc, preempted EU statements moreover earlier each votes were counted and congratulated “the Georgian Dream statement connected their overwhelming victory,” adding that Georgians “know what is champion for their country, and made their sound heard.”

The EU connection that came a afloat time later called connected Georgian authorities "to fulfil their work to swiftly, transparently and independently investigate” alleged ballot rigging.

On apical of ballot rigging allegations, “we person witnessed unprecedented levels of disinformation and harsh anti-EU rhetoric,” EU spokeswoman Nabila Massrali said. "Some of nan narratives utilized during this run person been clear and straight inspired from Russian propaganda.”

Anti-EU rhetoric nowadays not only comes from Moscow aliases Georgia but from Budapest excessively successful a situation from wrong not seen since nan astir heated Brexit days of Britain campaigning to time off nan bloc almost a decade ago.

Orban’s antagonism reached a caller milestone past week, erstwhile he told a crowd of supporters that the EU seeks to topple his government and “hang a Brussels puppet authorities astir nan country’s neck.” Days later, he accused nan EU of having installed nan center-right authorities successful Poland to free nan state of its erstwhile right-wing populist leadership. He gave nary grounds to support either claim.

Orban's travel to Georgia is not nan first clip he's drawn nan ire of different EU leaders by taking a rogue journey.

In July, only days aft Hungary took complete nan bloc’s rotating presidency, he traveled to Moscow for meetings pinch Putin nether nan auspices of a self-styled “peace mission,” a sojourn nan Russian leader viewed arsenic taking spot connected behalf of nan EU presidency.

But nan bloc’s leaders were livid and heavy criticized Orban for gathering pinch Putin without informing them, and underlined that Orban was not appearing connected their behalf.

Since July, Orban has progressively fought pinch nan remainder of nan bloc, particularly complete nan warfare successful Ukraine. He has routinely blocked, delayed aliases watered down efforts to widen assistance to Kyiv and punishment Russia, starring to criticisms that he was damaging nan EU and serving Moscow's interests.

In different awesome of his governmental priorities, Orban group disconnected connected his Monday travel to Tbilisi while he was scheduled to springiness a keynote reside astatine a acme of EU personnel authorities parliamentary committees successful Budapest, an engagement he canceled astatine nan past infinitesimal to sojourn Georgia’s Eurosceptic leadership.

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, who backs nan guidance protests against nan predetermination results, saw nan wider pattern.

“If he undermines EU unity, it’s not only done Georgia. So that’s nan European issue,” Zourabichvili said successful an question and reply pinch The Associated Press. “Seeing Orban coming and visiting nan premier curate present is conscionable a governmental play.”

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Justin Spike reported from Budapest. Emma Burrows contributed from Tbilisi, Georgia