Hungary holds back support for Swedish NATO bid amid film controversy

Hungary's ruling parties are holding back their support to Sweden's NATO accession this year after a Swedish public service television produced a controversy film about Hungary, reported Xinhua.

Mate Kocsis, group leader of Prime Minister Viktor Orban's party Fidesz, expressed his reservations during a press conference in the northern Hungarian city of Esztergom on Thursday.

Referring to the Swedish film presenting Hungary as a bad example of democracy in the European Union, Kocsis highlighted the need for further clarification on the film, an educational production for schoolchildren, before making a decision.

The ruling parties in Hungary's parliament consider the film to be misleading, according to the party leader.

Kocsis said his political group was awaiting an explanation from the Swedish authorities, emphasizing that they could not expect Hungarian parliamentary and factional support for Sweden's NATO membership in the wake of the film.

The Swedish NATO accession issue has been under discussion for nearly a year. Within the military alliance, only the Turkish and Hungarian parliaments are yet to approve Sweden's membership.

Kocsis said the chances that the Hungarian Parliament would vote on Sweden in the current autumn session, which will begin next week and last until February 2024, were "low."