Embattled Orbán addresses Hungary in first appearance since country’s president quit in a scandal

By JUSTIN SPIKE
Associated Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has sought to contain the political fallout of a presidential pardon scandal during an annual state of the nation address. It was his first public appearance since Hungary’s president and close ally resigned a week ago. The nationalist Orbán is under intense pressure from multiple angles as his obstructionist conduct on the international stage has led to frustration among his European Union and NATO allies. He has laid roadblocks to EU funding for cash-strapped Ukraine, and Hungary remains the only holdout among NATO’s 31 members that has still not approved Sweden’s entry into the military alliance. But on Saturday, Orbán indicated that a vote on the matter could happen when Hungary’s legislature reconvenes on Feb. 26.