Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban voted on Tuesday in a national referendum against Ukraine’s accession to the European Union, posting photos marking „no” on the ballot.
The referendum, announced by Orban at the beginning of March, was officially launched on April 19, along with the sending of ballots to Hungarian citizens, many of which explicitly encouraged rejecting Ukraine’s candidacy, as noted by Kiev Independent.
Orban criticized both Brussels and the opposition party Tisza in Hungary for supporting Ukraine's accession, arguing that it would harm Hungary's economy and sovereignty.
"This will destroy Hungary's economy. We will not allow others to decide our future over our heads. I have already voted," wrote Orban on Facebook.
The Main Opponent of Ukraine on the Path to the EU
In the context of the war launched by Russia against Ukraine, Orban is widely seen as the most pro-Russian leader in the European Union. The Hungarian Prime Minister has repeatedly blocked or delayed EU aid packages intended for Kiev.
Despite the government's opposition, recent polls indicate significant public support for Ukraine's accession.
According to the "Voice of the Nation" initiative of the Magyar Tisza party, which collected over 1.1 million responses, 58.18% of participants supported Ukraine's accession to the EU.
Another survey conducted on April 7 by the Republikon Institute also found that a narrow majority of Hungarian citizens support Ukraine's accession to the European bloc.