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Official Budapest is doing everything possible to block Ukraine's accession to the European Union. It mentions the alleged oppression of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine, intimidation of its own citizens, and the fact that if a country like Ukraine joins the EU, the competitive opportunities of Hungarian farmers will be significantly reduced and the standard of living in Hungary will fall. Other seemingly problematic issues are also being invented. However, the goal is to prevent Ukraine from joining the geopolitically important association of European countries - the European Union.
It is possible that the official Kremlin has set this task for the government of Viktor Orban. Budapest, unfortunately, demonstrates full commitment to Moscow's aggressive policy and lobbies Russia's interests among the EU countries as much as possible, while allegedly protecting its own interests.
Orban's government scares Hungarians that Hungary is being forced to become a donor. EU funds will go to Ukraine, and Brussels wants joint borrowing, which will drag Budapest into a debt hole.
Meanwhile, let us remind you that bThe EU budget is formed by strong economies, not individual countries. Ukraine will receive a share proportional to its contribution to the bloc's economy.
In addition, funds invested in Ukraine will return through the common market. Ukrainian companies and citizens will spend them in the EU. Brussels has mechanisms to regulate the budget and control expenditures.
The EU invested in lagging economies, and it paid off. For example, Spain and Portugal received significant assistance at one time, and now they are developing successfully. Financing Ukraine is also a strategic investment, not charity."
The government of Viktor Orban also came up with a propaganda trick that Ukraine's accession to the EU will negatively affect Hungarian agriculture. They say that Hungarian farmers will lose subsidies, as EU money will be redirected to Kyiv.
However Ukraine exports products that are in short supply in the EU. This will help stabilize food prices and protect farmers from global market fluctuations.
Ukraine is already integrated into the EU agricultural market. In addition, diversification of food supplies will strengthen the EU's food security and help it become independent from Russia's food blackmail.
Budapest's arguments that genetically modified foods and banned chemicals are used in Ukraine are also absolutely far-fetched.
Ukraine uses standards for European food standards. Ukrainian products have been supplied to the EU for a long time and have always passed the necessary certification.
Ukrainian farmers working for export to the EU countries fully comply with international standards and constantly undergo quality control mechanisms for their products. Therefore, Ukrainian products are in demand in Europe.
Another fake spread from Budapest about the alleged security risk for Europeans. Hungarian propaganda is trying to present Ukraine as a center of organized crime and therefore weapons may fall into the wrong hands.
Meanwhile, there are official statistics. Europol says that the crime rate among Ukrainian refugees is minimal. But Orban's friends from Russia are using criminal networks to smuggle weapons. Kyiv is working closely with the relevant authorities in Brussels to combat all types of smuggling, especially weapons.
Meanwhile, we all remember how in the 90s of the last century, Budapest was a European center of drug trafficking, prostitution, and criminal activities of many gangs, especially from Russia. And it was Hungary's accession to the EU in 2004 that partially helped to overcome the huge level of crime that existed. Therefore, Ukraine's accusations are absolutely incorrect and far-fetched."
The Orban's office did not forget to mention the topic of cheap Ukrainian labor, which can allegedly reduce wages, threaten jobs and pensions.
Ukrainian workers in the EU fill vacancies that Europeans do not want to fill, in particular, in the fields of construction, logistics and elderly care. The EU has mechanisms to regulate labor migration to avoid imbalances. Ukrainians create jobs in the EU by starting their own businesses, meaning that they are not only employees but also employers. The recent experience of Poland and Germany has clearly demonstrated that Ukrainian labor migrants in these countries have contributed significantly to their economic growth. Ukrainian labor migrants pay taxes in different EU countries. The European economy benefits from additional skilled workers.
Thus, Ukraine's accession to the EU will lead to the creation of new jobs. Therefore, the problems with the labor market in Hungary are not caused by Ukrainians, but by the failed populist policies of the government led by Viktor Orban. Let's not forget that free movement of labor is one of the fundamental principles of the EU, which is beneficial to everyone."
And finally, another fake from Viktor Orban's team: allegedly, there is a risk to the health of citizens in Europe, since there are no mandatory vaccinations in Ukraine, which poses a threat to public health.
Meanwhile, in Ukraine has compulsory vaccination, and the vaccination rate against major diseases does not differ from many EU countries. Moreover, the level of vaccination in Ukraine is higher than in Bulgaria and Romania, for example. The Ministry of Health of Ukraine actively cooperates with the WHO, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control.
Access to medicine in Ukraine, even during the war, remains quite high. Therefore, in order to compromise Kyiv, Russian propaganda is trying to use the topic of vaccination to discredit Ukraine.
However, this is distorted information. European countries have mechanisms for monitoring the epidemiological situation in the EU, and Ukraine always complies with them. Ukraine is gradually adopting EU healthcare standards. By the way, the EU has already accepted millions of Ukrainians and this has not caused any medical crisis."
And finally, a new Hungarian fake about Ukraine's hasty accession to the EU jeopardizing the 13th pension.
No country that has joined the EU has ever caused a pension crisis, and Ukraine is not likely to be an exception. The Hungarian pension system depends on the economic policy of the government, not on Ukraine.
Ukraine's accession to the EU does not mean immediate access to EU pension funds for Ukrainians. Ukrainians working in the EU already pay taxes that go to social benefits, including pensions. By the way, pension reforms in Ukraine are moving towards harmonization with European standards.
In fact, the threat to the EU pension system is the demographic crisis and aging of the population, not Ukraine's accession to the EU. Ukrainians will only increase the labor force in the EU, which will definitely improve the state of pension funds. The 13th pension in Hungary is a populist idea of the Orban government that has no economic basis. This government is simply using the fear of losing pensions, not because of real risks.
So, soon Hungarians will receive packages of surveys on Ukraine's membership in the EU. The Hungarian government is enclosing an information sheet with the ballots, in which it spreads fakes about Ukraine, including a short list of 7 key risks of Ukraine's accession, i.e. issues that supposedly directly affect Hungary's future and need to be carefully considered before making a decision.
The intention of the Hungarian authorities conducting a consultative survey on Ukraine's future membership in the European Union is an internal matter, but EU enlargement is and will remain a priority for the European Commission.
No European country conducted a poll during Hungary's accession to the EU. Many people had fears at the time, but the principle of European solidarity was in effect. European Commission spokesperson Marcus Lammert said this at a briefing in Brussels.
Ukraine belongs to the European family. That is why the EU opened accession talks with Ukraine in June 2024. Ukraine has unequivocally proven its determination to move towards EU membership and has implemented transformational reforms while fighting for its survival and defending itself from war from Russia.
According to the spokesperson, the EU enlargement policy is more than ever a geostrategic investment in long-term peace, stability, security and prosperity of Europe. There will be no European security without Ukraine's security. Enlargement brings benefits to both new and existing member states. At this crucial moment for Europe, there is no room for hesitation.
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