It’s time to drain the swamp, Hungarian Prime Minister said yesterday Viktor Orbanreferring to Cathargatewhat torments her Europe the last days. The use of this particular phrase, which was one of Donald Trump’s favorite slogans, shows how a corruption scandal at the heart of the European Parliament is resurrecting Euroscepticism and favoring the continent’s authoritarian leaders. “So far, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has only had losers,” Orban said at a traditional year-end press conference that lasted three hours yesterday, among other things. “Both sides and the European economy” suffered from the conflict, according to the Hungarian prime minister, who seized the opportunity to strike back at the sanctions against Moscow.

Cathargate revives Euroscepticism and supports the authoritarian leaders of the Old Continent.

The ultra-conservative leader, who won his fourth consecutive term in April, is in constant conflict with the EU, which accuses him of violating democratic principles and encouraging endemic corruption. But yesterday he attacked the European Parliament over recent revelations, insisting that the body in its current form be abolished. “It is easy to answer how much the prestige of the European Parliament in Hungary has suffered: not at all, because it could not have been less.” Recall that in September the European Parliament decided that Hungary is not a real democracy, but a hybrid system of an authoritarian state with a view of the elections.

In addition, a few days ago, the vast majority of European states decided to “freeze” 6.3 billion euros due to fears that these funds are being wasted due to widespread corruption in the country. During yesterday’s press conference, Orban accused Europe of “angrophobia”.