Sweden-Hungary ties at low point, Orban aide says, amid Stockholm NATO bid

BUDAPEST (Reuters) -Relations between Sweden and Hungary are at a low point, Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s chief of staff said on Thursday, calling on Stockholm to take steps to boost confidence as it seeks Hungary’s backing for NATO membership.

Finland and neighbour Sweden applied together last year to join NATO, but Sweden’s application has been held up by NATO members Turkey and Hungary, which cites grievances over Swedish criticism of Orban’s record on democracy and the rule of law.

Finland formally joined NATO on Tuesday in a historic policy shift brought on by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that drew a threat from Moscow of “counter-measures”.

Welcoming Finland’s entry, U.S. President Joe Biden has urged Turkey and Hungary to conclude their ratification processes for Sweden to join the alliance “without delay”.

Orban’s chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas, reiterated ruling party concerns over Sweden’s NATO bid, which he said were also shared by Orban’s government.

Those worries were aggravated by the Sweden and Finland recently joining a lawsuit brought against Hungary by the European Commission, he said.

“Current Sweden-Hungary relations … also because of this intervention on the side of the Commission are at a low point and steps to boost confidence are needed,” Gulyas said in response to a question.

“In such a situation, NATO’s unity is of paramount importance and it is not helpful if we import bilateral debates into NATO.”

Hungary’s ratification process has been stranded in parliament since July, with Orban airing concerns about the Nordic countries’ NATO membership for the first time in February.

Among other criticisms, Orban has accused both countries of spreading “outright lies” about the health of democracy in Hungary.

(Reporting by Gergely Szakacs and Boldizsar Gyori; Editing by Nick Macfie)