Saudi Ministry of Education to showcase innovations at 2025 Geneva International Exhibition    7,523 violators of residency, labor, and border security laws deported in a week    Video contradicts Israeli army account of deadly March 23 strike on Gaza paramedics    Saudi Arabia spends over $241 million to implement de-mining projects in 3 countries    Italy's Meloni government approves controversial security decree expanding police protections and penalties    Egypt submits new Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange proposal: Report    'Everything is possible' — Ronaldo focused on titles, not 1,000-goal milestone after Riyadh Derby win    Saudi, US military leaders discuss enhanced defense cooperation in Riyadh    King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language launches program with Indiana University    Ronaldo brace powers Al Nassr past Al Hilal in Riyadh derby thriller    Ed Sheeran weaves Persian music into new song, Azizam    Al-Jadaan: Crown Prince's directives confirm government's ability to bring back balance to real estate market    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Foreign investors are allowed to engage in real estate business outside Makkah and Madinah Commercial speculation should not be the purpose of real estate transaction    Aubameyang fires Al Qadsiah into King's Cup final with stoppage-time winner over Al Raed    Musk's X is suing India, as Tesla and Starlink plan entry    Tesla sales plunge after backlash against Elon Musk    Danilo Pereira fires Al Ittihad into King's Cup final with dramatic stoppage-time double    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Hungary's Parliament ratifies Finland's Nato membership
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 28 - 03 - 2023

Hungary's parliament has approved Finland's bid to join NATO.
The measure, passed with 182 votes for and six against, came after Hungary's government had for months frustrated allies in NATO and the European Union by repeatedly postponing the vote after nearly all other alliance members ratified Finland's bid.
While Hungary's approval was greeted with relief in Helsinki and elsewhere, NATO accession for Sweden remained up in the air as members of Hungary's governing party insisted they will wait for Stockholm to clear up lingering disagreements before they go to a vote. Finland and Sweden jointly applied for membership following Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Adding to the uncertainty over Sweden's bid are Turkey's own objections, amid accusations that Stockholm is too soft on groups that it deems to be terror organizations.
Agnes Vadai, a lawmaker with Hungary's opposition Democratic Coalition party, said Monday that the governing Fidesz party had been using "pretexts" to delay ratification for the two countries, and that further stalling could push a vote into early April or even May.
"There is no real reason for not supporting these countries," Vadai, a former secretary of state in Hungary's ministry of defense, told The Associated Press. "NATO accession shouldn't be a question of personal feelings and blackmailing."
Turkey is now the only one of the 30 NATO members not to have ratified Finland's accession. Full unanimity is required to admit a new member into the alliance.
However, Turkey's parliamentary committee on foreign affairs last week approved Finland's NATO membership application, and a vote on accession is expected to be held before Turkey's presidential and parliamentary elections on May 14.
While Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has long signaled his country's support for NATO expansion, his government has alleged that Swedish and Finnish politicians have told "blatant lies" about the condition of Hungary's democracy which has left some ruling party lawmakers unsure of whether to support the accession bids.
The EU, which includes 21 NATO countries, has for years accused Orban's government of cracking down on media freedom and LGBTQ rights, overseeing an entrenched culture of official corruption and co-opting state institutions to serve the interests of the governing Fidesz party.
Some Hungarian opposition politicians and analysts believe the country's foot-dragging on ratification had aimed at pushing Sweden and Finland to support the release of billions in EU funds earmarked for Budapest that have been frozen over alleged breaches of the bloc's rule-of-law standards.
But Samuel Agoston Mraz, director of the pro-government Nezopont Intezet thinktank in Budapest, said Hungary won't make a move regarding Sweden until Turkey decides on whether to approve the country's NATO membership bid.
Mraz said Hungary "does not want to make decisions against the Turks" and also wants guarantees from Stockholm on improving bilateral relations.
"Hungary is a supporter of a unified NATO. It does not believe in Turkey versus all the other member states," Mraz told AP. — Euronews


Clic here to read the story from its source.