The chief of staff of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Saturday signaled a possible new postponement of the ratification by the parliament in Budapest of the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO, Reuters and Agerpres report.

The process of ratifying that accession by Hungary’s legislature has been delayed since last July, and on Friday Viktor Orbán lashed out at the two countries, accusing them, like Brussels, of spreading “brazen lies” about the state of democracy and governance . rights in Hungary, a constant topic of conflict between its conservative government and European officials.

Although the ratification of Finland and Sweden’s accession to NATO was declared favourable, Orbán said in his latest statement that further discussions between parliamentary groups are needed before the Hungarian legislature begins a debate on the issue, which is due to start on Wednesday 1 March. . .

• Viktor Orban on the postponement of the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO: “Some are not very excited”

According to the legislative agenda published on the website of the parliament in Budapest, the final vote on the ratification of the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO is scheduled for March 6. However, according to Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Chief of Staff Hergel Gulyas, it may take more time.

“Parliament will put it on the agenda on Monday and start debating the law next week. According to the Hungarian parliamentary procedure, the adoption of the law requires about four weeks, so the parliament can vote for it somewhere in the second half of March, in the week of March 21,” Gulyash said.

But last year, in July, Hungarian parliamentarians managed to pass a law on revising small business taxation in just two days, Reuters reports.