Prime Minister Viktor Orbán visited Kecskemet, in south-eastern Hungary, on Thursday, as part of his campaign tour of the country ahead of the European parliamentary elections.
According to information from his press chief, he told local voters that “with its changing governments at the latest election, Slovakia set off on the path to becoming a pro-peace country. This was a great help to Hungary, but the process has been interrupted by a leftist activist’s attempt to assassinate the Slovak prime minister.”
“Robert Fico is out of work in the most crucial months … we trust that he will recover but now we have to fight for peace alone; from now on we will redouble our strength and fight by ourselves,” Orbán said, and encouraged rally participants to “vote for peace and end the violence” on June 9.
Karacsony expresses sympathies to Fico
Gergely Karacsony, the mayor of Budapest, has expressed his sympathies to Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico over Wednesday’s shooting that left him seriously injured.
In the letter addressed to Pavol Hamzik, the Slovak ambassador accredited to Budapest, Karacsony wished Fico a speedy recovery, expressing hope that his attacker would face trial as soon as possible.
Karacsony said the “horrific and violent act” was not just an attack on an elected official, but also on the democratic values that both nations held dear. He said Hungary and Slovakia’s ties were rooted in their shared history, mutual respect for each other and their “joint efforts for a peaceful and prosperous future”.
“The attack against Slovakia’s democracy is an attack on democracy in general, and it is vital that we take a united stand against such threats,” the mayor said. He expressed Budapest’s and Hungary’s solidarity with Slovakia, asking Slovakia’s ambassador to convey the sympathies of Budapest’s residents to Fico and the Slovak people.
“Budapest is prepared to help its Slovak friends and neighbours in any way possible,” he added.
