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Head of Orban’s media machine banned from US
The United States has imposed sanctions on a senior Hungarian government official for alleged corruption, the US Treasury announced. The move targets Antal Rogan, a close ally of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, often referred to as Hungary's “propaganda minister” with the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.
Rogan usually keeps a low profile, but in the past, he stirred controversy with his luxurious lifestyle. He played a key role in managing Orbán’s media strategy and orchestrating his controversial election campaigns.
The US Treasury accused Rogán of exploiting his position to secure financial gains for himself and his political allies. “Those closely connected to the ruling political party have acquired massive empires of holdings,” US Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman said during a news conference. “Antal Rogán is a primary architect, implementer, and beneficiary of this system of corruption.”
Since coming to power in 2010, Orbán has faced persistent accusations of corruption. In 2023 Transparency International ranked the country last among EU members on its corruption perception index. Two weeks ago Hungary lost its entitlement to more than 1 billion euros in aid from the EU because it failed to tackle corruption, violated rules on public procurement, and a lack of control and transparency. Orbán has consistently rejected allegations of corruption.
“Corruption undermines a country’s governing institutions and limits its economic development, providing short-sighted gain to a select few while depriving future generations of longer-term benefit,” said Bradley T. Smith Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.
Hungarian officials claim the sanctions are a sign of revenge for Pressman, who frequently expressed criticism over the state of democracy in Hungary and the Central European country’s close ties to Russia. "This is a personal act of revenge by the ambassador sent to Hungary by the failed American administration, who is now leaving unsuccessfully and ingloriously, directed against Antal Rogán. How fortunate that in just a few days, the United States will be led by people who see our country as a friend rather than an enemy," Hungary’s foreign minister Peter Szijjartó wrote on Facebook.
Orbán and his party, Fidesz, have been among Trump’s biggest supporters in Europe. Trump, who is set to return to the White House on January 20, has praised Orbán’s leadership and policies in the past. “On January 20, the United States will have a new government and a new president. Following their inauguration, we will take the necessary legal steps,” Orban's office said in a statement.
Hungary to Reopen Embassy in Syria
Hungary is set to reopen its embassy in Damascus, Minister of Foreign Affairs Péter Szijjártó announced the decision in his first Facebook post of the year. "The armed conflicts have subsided," Szijjártó wrote, explaining that restoring a diplomatic presence would enable Hungary to gather reliable, first-hand information on developments in Syria, represent its political stance, and, if necessary, take action to protect Hungarian citizens.
The minister emphasized that Hungary’s ambassador to Syria has already reached out to the leaders of the country’s two largest Christian groups. These early diplomatic engagements aim to understand how Christian communities have been affected by recent events, highlighting Hungary’s focus on supporting religious minorities in the region, Szijjarto said.
Hungarians lead Europe in calling for a radical change in the economic system
Pew Research Center has surveyed what people think about economic inequality In 36 countries, including Hungary. According to the report, published Thursday afternoon, more than half of the respondents, which covers countries on five continents, 54 percent, said that the financial gap between the rich and the poor is a significant problem for their country. Similarly the global average, 60 percent of respondents said that wealthy people have too much political influence over a country's domestic politics.
In 33 of 36 countries, the majority of people thought that their country's economic system either needed to undergo major changes or needed complete reform. Citizens in middle-income developing countries have a strong opinion on this issue, but it is also typical in wealthier countries, with only Singapore, Sweden, and the Netherlands being in the minority of countries wanting major change.
This was the question where Hungary represented one of the extremes of the 10 European countries surveyed, with 26 percent of respondents wanting full economic reform and 48 percent wanting major change, the highest proportion of those wanting economic transformation.
Viktor Orbán: The Hungarian Government stands by the Chadian Government
Hungarian PM Viktor Orban took to X to the news that armed forces attacked the presidential palace in Chad. The Prime Minister wrote that he heard the news "with a heavy heart". He called the events 'deplorable', adding that violence should never be an option. Orbán said that Chad is a key country for the stability of the Sahel region and that the Hungarian government stands by the Chadian government and supports its efforts to ensure its sovereignty and security.
I heard the news of the recent attack in N’Djamena with a heavy heart. This incident is deplorable, violence is not an option. Chad is key to the stability of the whole Sahel region and Hungary stands by its government in its efforts for sovereignty and security.
— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) January 9, 2025
The Hungarian government has anti-terror cooperation with Chad. The Orban government is also sending soldiers to the African country.