Parbeszed: Only Russian withdrawal can bring about peace

Addressing an online press conference, Parbeszed MP Timea Szabo criticised a draft resolution submitted by the ruling parties this week to mark the anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine, saying it was missing “basic facts” such as “Russian President [Vladimir] Putin being the one to blame for the outbreak of the war” and that “the Russian army has committed crimes against humanity”.

The draft resolution, she added, also failed to mention that the key to peace was a withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine.

Parbeszed’s document, however, “makes it clear that the blame for the war lies with Putin and Russia” and “calls for an immediate withdrawal” by Russia, Szabo said.

It also calls on international organisations to hold the perpetrators of war crimes to account before an international court, she said.

The draft resolution also backs the sanctions imposed on Russia by the European Union and calls on the government to continue backing the sanctions packages.

It says the sanctions are not to blame for Hungary’s “record 26 percent inflation rate”, arguing that average inflation in the EU is 10.5 percent.

The document underscores Hungary’s interest in weaning itself off Russian gas and calls on the government to do everything in its power to support refugees from Ukraine and the civil groups aiding them.

It adds that as a committed member of the EU and NATO, Hungary should assist the peace efforts of international organisations, and calls on public media and “the government propaganda press” to “end their pro-Russia disinformation campaign”, Szabo said.