×

Hungary’s leader: Soros’ criticism is ‘declaration of war’

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary’s prime minister said Friday that harsh criticism by billionaire George Soros is a “declaration of war.” Soros has accused Prime Minister Viktor Orban of running a corrupt “mafia state.”

Orban alleged that the Hungarian-American investor was paying “agent-like networks” of non-governmental organizations to enforce his policies, including the promotion of migration, in Europe and Hungary.

“This is a declaration of war,” Orban said on state radio. “We are facing a financial speculator who has made a lot of money while … plunging many into poverty.”

Orban was replying to Soros’ speech Thursday at the Brussels Economic Forum where he spoke about the challenges faced by the European Union, including conflicts over the rule of law in Poland and Hungary.

“I am full of admiration for the courageous way the Hungarian people have resisted the deception and corruption of the mafia state the Orban regime has established,” Soros said, describing the “mafia state” as the current equivalent of a totalitarian regime — “one which maintains a facade of democracy but the rulers use their control of the media, the judiciary and the other levers of influence, to enrich and maintain themselves in power.”

Orban said Soros’ policies were “elitist and anti-democratic” because they were opposed by the Hungarian people.

He said the NGOs supported by Soros lacked transparency, operated “like a mafia” and charged them with carrying out Soros’ purported plan to bring a million migrants a year to Europe.

“The Hungarian government is defending the borders, built fences, and under these circumstances the Soros plan can’t be carried out,” said Orban, who has become a European standard bearer for opposition to immigration, especially by Muslims from the Middle East and Asia.

Orban did not name them, but government officials have singled out civic groups like corruption watchdog Transparency International and human rights advocates the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, which receive part of their funding from Soros’ Open Society Foundations.

The ideological conflict between Soros and Orban, who has vowed to make Hungary an “illiberal state,” has deepened in the past months after parliament approved legal changes which could force Central European University, founded by Soros, to leave Budapest.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today