Balkan Officials Congratulate the Hungarian Opposition on Election Victory

Italy and the Balkans (Photo: PrintScreen YouTube)

A number of officials in the Balkans have also congratulated Peter Magyar, leader of opposition Tisza party, on his victory in the parliamentary elections in Hungary, held on April 12. 

“Congratulations to Peter Magyar on his election victory. I look forward to further developing the partnership between Montenegro and Hungary and cooperating on EU priorities, based on democratic values and the vision of a strong and united Europe,” Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajic has written on social media X.

Montenegrin President Jakov Milatovic has said he is looking forward to meeting Magyar in Montenegro in June for an EU-Western Balkans Summit, recalling that Hungary is a strong supporter of Montenegro’s EU accession process.

Kosovo Premier Albin Kurti has also congratulated Peter Magyar. “Kosovo welcomes the Hungarian citizens’ support to the EU values and looks forward to future cooperation,” Kurti has written on his X account. 

In a post on X, the Bosnia and Herzegovina Foreign Ministry have said they were looking forward to “a new chapter in the relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Hungary,” based on mutual respect, sincere partnership and common EU values, adding that the election outcome has opened the door for a more balanced and constructive cooperation in the interests of the citizens of both countries.

Nenad Stevandic, speaker of the Republika Srpska Assembly, has posted on X that veteran Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has lost the political battle, but has laid the foundations of European sovereignty and anti-immigrant and anti-war policy. Stevandic also said that Orban “has politically remained in the phoenix-like position,” that he “has laid the foundations of Serbian-Hungarian friendship” and that he “accepted defeat like a man,” describing Magyar as his “mentee”.