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VIKTOR ORBÁN HAS asked Micheál Martin not to “ruin the love story” between Ireland and Hungary after the Taoiseach was critical of the Prime Minister “unreasonably exploiting” his EU veto and backsliding on fundamental European rights.
Speaking to Euronews, Martin said the Irish government is “very concerned” about the Hungarian government’s attitude to the LGBTQI community. Orbán’s government has banned Pride marches.
Successive reports have highlighted concerns over the justice system, the freedom of the media and civic society groups, restrictions to civil liberties and cases of corruption in Orbán’s Hungary.
Posting a link to the interview on his X profile this morning, Orbán addressed the remarks by Martin, claiming his country has “always regarded Irish patriots as champions of freedom and national independence”.
He added: “For us, Ireland is a symbol of liberty and sovereignty.
“For this reason, it is always shocking when we see that an Irish patriot chooses to stand on the side of an empire instead of national sovereignty.
Please don’t ruin the love story between Irish and Hungarian patriots.”
The Taoiseach had said that he believes the EU should do more to protect the rights of people in Hungary and communicate “positive narratives” around what EU membership means for citizens.
Martin said: “What we have in Europe is very precious, and we shouldn’t be shy in standing up for it and then protecting it. Okay, we might complain about bureaucracy, we might complain about the complexity of directives, we might complain about all of that.
“But fundamentally – in terms of environmentally, in terms of the economy, in terms of art, culture, academia – it’s a positive to live, work and to play in and for children to grow up in.”
Dear Taoiseach @MichealMartinTD,
— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) May 12, 2025
We Hungarians have always regarded Irish patriots as champions of freedom and national independence. For us, Ireland is a symbol of liberty and sovereignty. For this reason, it is always shocking when we see that an Irish patriot chooses to stand…
The Hungarian Prime Minister has repeatedly rejected progressive legislation and has taken action to disrupt Ukraine’s path to EU membership.
Orbán has also rejected funding programmes for Ukraine aimed at helping it in its war against Russia’s invasion. It came after funding for Hungary was withheld by the EU after his party planned to outlaw the mentioning of homosexuality.
European politicians have suggested using Article 7 of the Treaty of the EU, which allows for a member state to be blocked from voting in the EU, to crack down on the vetoes by Orbán.
Martin, on the podcast, said he supported the use of all instruments to prevent the use of the veto, adding: “We think [the veto] is being abused.
“I believe the European Union will not become workable if that abuse continues, there’s only so much member states can take in terms of wilful abuse of the veto.”
Confirming he was speaking about Orbán and Hungary, he said: “It seems that people are exploiting the mechanisms of the veto for quite some time – unreasonably, in my view.”
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Good aul Michael Martin, he always seems to be able to tell other world leaders how they can govern better, while watching his own government is failing massively. Maybe use some of the solutions you have for others yourself Michael.
@Ger Whelan: Hungary’s vetoes are pretty famously about preventing military aid to Ukraine and preventing its accession to the EU. This isn’t a domestic issue, and it speaks to a parochial, isolationist mindset to think EU member states’ leaders shouldn’t comment on their peer states’ actions in the EU Parliament
@Emery Piper Black: So? Are Hungary breaking EU laws by using their Veto how they wish? There is no law saying Hungary cannot veto military aid to Ukraine is there? Amazing how you claim to love democracy but you wish to take away Hungary’s Voting right because they aren’t voting the way the EU tells them. How is that democracy? It’s more like a dictatorship vote how we tell you or else.
@Ger Whelan: Wake up and smell the coffee. We have a great standard of living in Ireland compared to 30 or 40 years ago. We have no major problems. This FF government is doing no better or worse than a multitude of governments before them. I don’t like MM but tell me who is better than him in Leinster House. Also, which country is doing so well? Check every national newspaper and you will see every country with free press criticises their government just as much as we do. There are no angels in politics.
@Emery Piper Black: As for Ukraines accession to the EU it should be blocked. In February 2021 the EU released a report that stated Ukraine didn’t meet the criteria to join the EU. Ukraine had hoped for another review in 2024 with hopes of accession talks STARTING IN 2030. Ukraine wasn’t ready for EU accession a year before it was invaded It most definitely isn’t ready to be fast tracked into the EU now just because it’s at war. So yes keep blocking Ukraines accession talks until it is ready to join.
@Emery Piper Black: The Hungarians have a long history with Russian imperialism and are after all part of the former Soviet block. Martin might stop to think whether they might have a better understanding of the region and the likely implications of various policies viz a viz Ukraine than he does. The EU as a whole afterall greatly miscalculated Putin over the past 20 years.
@Ciaran Miller: I smelt the coffee. It smelled bitter with the, state of our, health services, our homeless crisis with figures rising monthly, our housing crisis where families are being priced out of home, our energy costs well about the EU average, cost of living well above the EU average, our terrible transport infrastructure, etc etc etc. Micheal could do plenty to improve this country but he chooses to ignore all our issues while still denying this country was bailed out.
@Ciaran Miller: so incompetence and complete lack of accountability should be acceptable to those who they are EMPLOYED ,( pay their obscene wages) . to SERVE .. no wonder the kip is the way it is
@Ger Whelan: The irony here is that the left wing media, The Guardian, in their coverage of Ukraine prior to 2022, confirmed that Ukraine was the most corrupt nation on earth.Quite an achievement that is conviently forgotten now!
@Ger Whelan: Every country in the western world has problems with its government. Tell me which country’s government is better than ours and I will respond with all their problems. Of course our lot could do better, but they could be doing a lot worse too. It’s easy take pot shots at politicians. It seems like everyone’s favourite hobby on here is slagging off politicians. It must be great to be perfect.
@Ciaran Miller: Where did I say I’m perfect? But Michael Martin has no right to criticise another government when he government is failing. You may be happy with the state of the country. The man still can’t admit we were bailed out FFS.
@Emery Piper Black: well said
@Ger Whelan: hardly a democracy if one country, Hungary, can dictate policy. What about the majority members states?
@JoeJoe Kilbride: well unfortunately that’s the joys of a Veto. Hungary didn’t make the rules the EU did. If the EU didn’t want a member state to use the veto they shouldn’t have put it in there. Fact is every EU member state has the same veto as Hungary. Now can you inform me of what law Hungary has broken by using its veto?. I can’t find one so there shouldn’t be any talk of removing Hungary’s right to vote simply because they are not voting how others want them to. That would make the EU a dictatorship. You only have a vote once you vote how we tell you to.
@Emery Piper Black: Many people agree with hungry but they are not allowed have an opinion
@Ger Whelan: blocking Ukraine whilst allowing Hungary to stay ? You’ve got that the wrong way around….
@John Moylan: Ukraine is even more corrupt than Ireland, they should never be allowed in.
@John Moylan: No I don’t. But you keep thinking Ukraine is a great country simply because it was invaded. There is a good lad
@Ger Whelan: They are breaking many EU laws and cry when pulled up over them.
@Ger Whelan: The Ukraine was not ready and were not allowed to join, they made a lot of improvements and kept working towards their goal. Hungary veto any help to the Ukraine as the leader is a putin fanboy!
@Ger Whelan: if things were as bad as you make out, then we would really be in trouble.
Yes we have lots of problems, which are faced by most of the countries in Europe at present and some a lot more than we do.
@Gary Kearney: When did Ukraine make a lot of things better? When they got invaded by Russia? after the EU report in February 2021 Ukraine hoped they would be ready for accession talks by 2030 at the earliest. Then guess what they were invaded by Russia. Now do you honestly believe the sorted out all the issues they thought would take 9 years without having to deal with a war in just 3 years while being invaded and are war? Pull the other one Gary your fooling no one..
@Ger Whelan: They are using their veto to aid a country that invaded another, what’s democratic about that.
@O’Grady Says: What law have they broken?. Did I say I approve? No I didn’t. But the fact remains Hungary has broken no laws using their veto how they like. You can’t call yourself a democracy if you’re going to punish a country because it doesn’t vote how it’s told. As for the Veto itself blame the EU for putting in such a ridiculous thing. It should be the majority rules but the EU decided against that. Now it’s biting them in the ass. Legally Hungary isn’t doing anything wrong by using it veto.
I taught Martin was a man and politician that believed in democracy! The majority of Hungary want what they are getting from their government that’s democracy stay out other nations ways we have serious issues here.
@Darran Macken: What sort of issues do you think Martin ought to be focusing on, Darran; limiting immigration, cracking down on LGBT people’s public presence? No one’s forcing Hungary to stay in the EU or use its veto, and if it doesn’t want to uphold EU values it can see itself out. That’s democracy, too.
@Emery Piper Black: He most definitely should be limiting immigration. Anyone who arrives here illegally should be deported back to the safe country the left to get here as per both Irish and EU laws. what laws is Hungary breaking by using it Veto?. If free to use it however they see fit. Thanks to the democracy of EU membership.
@Ger Whelan: spot on
@H Woo: Deport every illegal Irish immigrant from the USA. I urge Trump to do it. Breaking the law to enter a country is a crime.
@Emery Piper Black: Eu values don’t make me laugh. Forced illegal immigration now they are threatening us with courts and heavy fines if we don’t implement HATE SPEECH LAWS where they want to curtail freedom of speech. JD VANCE was right when he criticise the unelected political beuracrates in Europe for trying to take our rights to freedom of speech. Mehole martin is a puppet to his political masters in Europe. I admire Orban for his stance against the Eu.
And tell me how did a trading block become a dictatorship that wants to spend billion on an Eu army .
@Emery Piper Black: EU values?they died long ago,if they ever existed at all
@Darran Macken:
In the 1930′s the vast majority of the German population wanted what their Nazi Government was offering them. 10 years and 8 million dead Germans later they realised their mistake.
@Ger Whelan: The entire EU is working hard to lower illegal immigration!
@Vincent Hickey: The EU is not a dictatorship. Orban is doing putins bidding, nothing more.
Hate speech laws are good, too much of it is happening. Free Speech does not give you the right to abuse people. That is what that law is about.
The Lowry government has spoken.
What is that muppet trying to do. He is telling a leader of another country how to run his country while at the same time he is destroying his own country. He is a total embarrassment.
The Taoiseach had said that he believes the EU should do more to protect the rights of people in Hungary and communicate “positive narratives” around what EU membership means for citizens…
But he has no difficulty ignoring his own people to access certain benefits of EU membership like imposing VRT, denying access to full banking and insurance
Hungary are really at odds with membership of the EU I’m not sure why they stay or are let stay in. They’d probably be better rejoining the USSR
The same people who hate immigrants and foreigners suddenly love Hungry since it took a turn far right. As predicatable as a Trump backdown
@FoxyBoiiYT: first comment and we already have a double winner, mentioning both far right and trump
@Ger Whelan: Says the guy who can’t go 5 minutes with blaming MM for everything. Probably also FFs fault your willy is soooo tiny
@FoxyBoiiYT: So our governments failing isn’t MM fault? So whose fault is it if not the leader of the government. By your logic Hungary’s new laws have nothing to do with Orban. Your wife has no problem with my Willie size. Says it’s bigger than she’s used to.
@Ger Whelan: Hahaha! G’wan the Ger : )
@FoxyBoiiYT:that doesn’t even qualify as pathetic no more than you obviously don’t either
@FoxyBoiiYT: Hungary, a great country lead by a great man.
Then there is Ireland misled by Martin.
@Ger Whelan: Dame thing, far right and ultra capitalism.
@Ger Whelan: Already this new government has done things differently than the last one. It is not long enough in place to know how it will go but they have done sone good things.
Will it last, I hope so but nobody can tell for sure.
Hungary has Viktor Orban and look at what we have, a country in chaos thanks to Martin, Harris and the rest of the bungling inept clowns.
Love story haha ! What channel is it on?
Get them out of the eu immediately.
Orban isn’t always my preferred ‘cup of tea’, but on immigration, he’s spot on.
What love affair?
An Taoiseach is one hundred percent right this fellow Orban is no good
Put the pair of them into a sack and toss them in a lake. One as bad as the other.
No school places, no services, housing crisis, best he instead focuses on the home front rather than telling other countries what to do..
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