Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén has presented the government’s legislative agenda for the upcoming spring 2024 session of Parliament to the House Speaker. The proposed program encompasses 18 diverse bills and amendments; notably absent, however, is the anticipated final vote on Sweden’s NATO membership, as reported by Atv.hu. Semjén’s proposal outlines parliamentary discussions and votes on several key matters, including amendments to the law on water distribution services, approval of the 2025 state budget, recognition of foreign certificates and diplomas, and adherence to the EU directive on minimum wage.
In May 2022, Sweden and Finland opted to relinquish their military independence and join NATO following the Russian-Ukrainian war outbreak. The 2022 NATO summit hinted at a swift inclusion of the two countries, with strong military capabilities, into the alliance. By June of the same year, it was decided that the path to NATO was open for Sweden and Finland.
To finalize this decision, approval from the parliaments of all member countries is required. By the summer of 2022, ratification had been completed in nearly all countries, with 28 out of 30 nations swiftly endorsing the Nordic countries’ membership application. While the majority anticipated full membership for Sweden and Finland by September, Hungary and Turkey have been causing delays. The reasons for Hungary’s reluctance were summarized in a previous article.
In late November 2023, Turkey hinted at readiness to approve Sweden’s NATO membership within weeks, raising hopes for Hungary’s concurrence. However, during a December international press conference, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that the Hungarian Parliament was unwilling to accept the decision.
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