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Hungarian Dictator V. Orban is Turcophile

Posted on June. 7. 2024

BY JIRAIR TUTUNJIAN | Keghart

After a siege lasting 53 days, the 300,000-strong army of Sultan Mehmet II had failed to breach the walls of Constantinople which were defended by mere 7,000 Byzantium soldiers. Although in every category the Turkish army’s weapons far outnumbered that of Byzantium, Emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos and his tiny army had managed to resist the Turkish attack. It was May 1453. 

Shortly after, a Hungarian cannon maker approached the sultan and promised he could make a humongous cannon which could deliver 600 lbs of rock over a mile and bring down the city wall. The sultan gave the green light to the Hungarian to make the giant (27-ft.) cannons. In late May, the cannons went into business breaching the city walls and allowing the Turkish army to enter the city to kill, rape, and loot. 

The Hungarian cannon maker’s name was Orban. No last name. 

These days there’s another Hungarian Orban who is eager to help Turkey Junior (Azerbaijan). He is Viktor Orban. Since his election in 2010, he has systematically dismantled Hungarian democracy. 

Last month, Hungary blocked European Union (EU) military aid to Armenia. The money, a modest amount, was to fund the purchase of a field hospital and auxiliary facilities for a battalion-size army. Hungary said if Armenia gets the field hospital, so should Azerbaijan. Considering that Baku is gamboling in petro-dollars, Hungary’s “offer” was a blatant scheme to obstruct EU aid to Armenia. 

Four years ago, when he visited Azerbaijan, Orban praised Alyev as a “wise leader” from whom he had “learned so much in the last ten years.” 

In 2014, Orban and Alyev signed a strategic partnership in Baku. Last year they further enhanced that partnership. Hungary has become an observer member of the Organization of Turkish States (formerly the Turkic Council) which is comprised of Azerbaijan, Turkey, and the “stans” of Central Asia. Perhaps Orban felt he was attending a family reunion. Maybe he was channeling his Turkic ancestors: Hungarians (they call themselves Magyar) descend from the Turkic tribe of that name who converted to Christianity in the middle ages. 

In the 2020 Artsakh War, Hungary was the only EU state which openly sided with Azerbaijan. 

Last September, when Azerbaijan had taken control of most of Artsakh, Orban blocked a joint statement by all EU members condemning the Azeri invasion. The statement was to warn that forced displacement of the civilian population, through military or other means would be met with a strong response by the EU. 

In October of last week, Hungary and Romania opposed any consideration of “tough measures against Azerbaijan” or strong signals of disapproval toward Baku. 

In October 2023 when France delivered a “pro- Armenian” statement about Artsakh to the UN Human Rights Council, the statement was supported by all EU members except Romania, Italy, and Orban’s Hungary. 

The recent history of Armenia-Hungary relations started on a sour note in 2012 when an Armenian officer (Gurgen Margaryan) who was attending a NATO-sponsored language training in Hungary was axed to death by Azeri officer Ramil Safarov. The Azeri coward killed Margaryan when the latter was sleeping. Safarov was sentenced to life imprisonment but shortly after released. Hungary said the murderer was going to serve his sentence in Azerbaijan. However, when the killer landed in Baku he was welcomed as a national hero. He was promoted, given a house and a car. Soon after, it was revealed Azerbaijan had bought several billion dollars’ worth of Hungarian government bonds. As well, Azerbaijan made a secret payment of $7 million to Safarov through an offshore company owned by the son of Yaqub Eyyubov, Azerbaijan’s deputy prime minister. 

Armenia suspended diplomatic relations and President Serge Sargsyan accused Hungary of having made a callous deal with Azerbaijan. That year, Orban visited Azerbaijan. Since then a number of Hungarian senior diplomats have visited Alyev. Orban made another visit (2023) to Azerbaijan. 

Armenia and Hungary eventually established diplomatic relations. Isolated, Armenia is eager to establish diplomatic relations with anyone who has a flag. 

To add insult to injury, in recent years Hungary has donated a million or two to the Armenian Apostolic Church in the Middle East, to the Armenian Catholic Church in the Middle East, and to Hayordats Tun in Gegharkounik. Orban must think money is thicker than blood.