Parliament ratified Sweden's NATO accession today

HUNGARY - In Brief 26 Feb 2024 by Istvan Racz
The National Assembly approved Swedish NATO membership with 188 yes and 6 no votes earlier today. As Hungary was the last member state to vote on the issue, Sweden is officially a member of NATO from now on. Previously, Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson paid a visit to Budapest three days ago. With this, he effectively met PM Orbán's express wish, an opportunity for the latter to save his face, after this vote had been postponed for one-and-a-half years. A part of the Swedish press presented the case as a humiliation for Mr. Kristersson, the whole visit looking as if he had had to lobby for Hungary's positive decision, or apologize for who-knows-what alleged wrongdoing. But based on what actually happened, this presentation was clearly wrong. Visiting Budapest, Mr. Kristersson sold four JAS-39 Gripen fighter-bomber airplanes to Hungary, for close to €30m each, agreed to extend an existing long-term lease contract on 14 other Gripen planes, in addition to the extension of a logistical support and training program for the same planes, and to the setting up of a research institute jointly by Saab and Hungarian research forces. The style the Hungarian side exhibited was highly respectful: they dug up for this occasion all the historic instances of Swedish help to the Hungarian people, they said that all outstanding issues between the two countries had been settled, and PM Orbán stressed that Mr. Kristersson's visit was in no way a precondition for parliament's yes vote on Sweden's membership in NATO. He also praised the bright prospects of the two countries' cooperation in the arms industry and other military matters. By the way, Hungary's Gripen fighters often extend...

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