Szél said LMP was working for a renewing Hungary in which there is no longer room for either a Soviet heroes’ memorial or leaders who “qualify for dictators or pocket dictators”.

Orbán is governing against the people when he is developing ever closer ties with Russia and his “Putin-dependence” costs a lot to the country, she added. Hadhazy said only the means of colonisation have changed over the years and Russia is now using energy and finances to make Hungary dependent. Russia wants to export a system in which NGOs, media outlets, opposition forces and human rights can only survive with the consent of the country’s leaders, he added.

Ungar said the expansion of Russia’s influence was previously thought to belong to the past but it is now again gaining ground. It is shocking that the Hungarian government is ready to “dishonour Hungarian history” in order to help Orban and his closest supporters gain “assumed or real economic benefits”, he said.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.

MTI photo: Bruzák Noémi