Latest news with #Hidvéghi
Budapest Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Budapest Times
Over 1.6 million votes submitted in Voks 2025 on Ukraine's accession to EU
Balázs Hidvéghi, State Secretary of the Prime Minister's Cabinet Office, said on Friday that the number of votes submitted in the Voks 2025 referendum on Ukraine's accession to the European Union has exceeded 1.6 million. Hidvéghi said on Facebook that 'the intention to vote is steeply increasing, but the pressure on our country to give in concerning Ukraine is also growing'. 'Neither Brussels, nor Kyiv, nor their servants here want Hungarians to be able to freely decide in the matter,' he added. 'We still insist on having the right to decide, and nobody can take away that right from us,' Hidvéghi said. He said the referendum would continue until June 20 and encouraged everyone to cast their vote.
Budapest Times
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Budapest Times
Online voting now available on Ukraine's EU accession
Online votes can be initiated at after registration with a valid email address, through a specific URL sent to the email address. The Hungarian government has made it possible for Hungarians to cast votes online in its referendum on Ukraine's European Union accession. State Secretary Balázs Hidvéghi said on Facebook that online votes can be initiated at after registration with a valid email address, through a specific URL sent to the email address. The postal delivery of printed voting sheets finished last week, and latest figures showed that more than 1.2 million people have already cast their votes, he said, adding that it is 'an extremely high figure within a few weeks'. Hidvéghi added that this showed that Hungarians understood the importance of the issue, and that 'it is a matter that must not be decided without them'. He said several tens of thousands of complaints had been submitted to the government about stolen voting sheets only last week. 'We understand that both abroad and at home, some serious political forces want to prevent Hungarians from freely expressing their opinions at this vote,' he added. Ukraine had started a smear campaign against Hungary, and attacks from Brussels had been ongoing, he said.
Budapest Times
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Budapest Times
Hidvéghi: Referendum papers are disappearing from mailboxes
Balazs Hidvéghi, the parliamentary state secretary of the Prime Minister's Cabinet Office, told a press briefing that referendum papers on the question of Ukraine's accession to the EU 'are not reaching their recipients', as its increasingly evident that posted Voks 2025 papers are disappearing from mailboxes. 'Activists are taking the delivered ballots from mailboxes,' Hidvéghi said, adding that 'political forces at home and abroad' were trying to 'prevent Hungarians from freely expressing their opinions'. He referred to an opposition 'fake referendum' on Ukraine's EU accession, suggesting that 58 percent backed Ukraine joining the EU. The Ukrainian president then 'referred to this opposition 'vote' and mentioned 60-70 percent support,' he added. The Fidesz politician said the government was adamant that all Hungarians had 'the right to express their opinions on this matter'. He said 500,000 papers have been returned so far, which he called 'gratifying', noting that the Voks 2025 papers must be returned by June 20. Hidvéghi referred to 'thousands of complaints' regarding missing papers, adding that these are being investigated, while the government is weighing the option of allowing voting online.
Budapest Times
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Budapest Times
Hidvéghi: Ukraine's EU accession could cost each Hungarian household an additional 4 million HUF a year
"This would have catastrophic consequences for Hungary," Balázs Hidvéghi said in a video on Facebook. Balázs Hidvéghi, the parliamentary state secretary of the Prime Minister's Cabinet Office, said on Tuesday that the stakes of the ongoing referendum on Ukraine's European Union accession are 'huge', arguing that Brussels wanted to decide on fast-tracking the neighboring country's integration without seeking the public's opinion. 'This would have catastrophic consequences for Hungary,' Hidvéghi said in a video on Facebook. He said that supporting Ukraine has so far cost Hungarian families close to 2.5 million forints each (EUR 6,200), adding that Ukraine's accession could cost each Hungarian household an additional 4 million forints a year. Hungarian farmers would lose 7 billion euros in EU funding, Hidvéghi said, warning that 'those who say 'yes' to Ukraine will say 'no' to monies Hungary is entitled to.'
Budapest Times
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Budapest Times
State Secretary: Ballots for referendum on Ukraine's EU accession are being printed
The ballots will be delivered to all citizens by the end of May, Balázs Hidvéghi said. Balázs Hidvéghi, a state secretary of the Prime Minister's Cabinet Office, said on Wednesday said that ballots for the referendum on Ukraine's European Union accession are already being printed, and Hungarians will soon get the chance to have their say in the matter. In a video posted on the government's Facebook page, Hidvéghi inspected the printing of the ballot papers, saying: 'This isn't just a piece of paper. It protects what matters most: the opinion of the Hungarian people.' The state secretary said every single ballot would be inspected in the presence of a public notary in order to rule out the possibility of abuse and manipulation. The ballots will be delivered to all citizens by the end of May, he said. 'They have already decided in Brussels that they want to fast-track Ukraine's admission to the European Union,' Hidveghi said. 'They have already commissioned and paid for the surveys that will show that the majority of Hungarians are in favour of this.' 'Those doing the bidding of Brussels here at home, from [Tisza leader] Peter Magyar to [Democratic Coalition leader] Ferenc Gyurcsany, support this admission,' he said, adding that rushing Ukraine's accession posed serious financial and security risks for Hungary. 'This cannot be decided without us,' the state secretary said, adding Hungarians will now be given the chance to vote on Ukraine's potential EU membership in a public poll 'that can't be rigged'.
