written by:
Pano Ceka
“Money speaks louder than words.” – and Europe finally decided to make money speak properly.
Since 2010, with Viktor Orbán’s consolidation of power, Hungary has tried to play between two worlds: Brussels and Moscow. A political dance that often resembled more improvisation than strategy.
But in 2020–2023, the European Union changed the rules of the game: funds were tied to the rule of law. And suddenly one simple thing was understood: when the money stops, so does political arrogance.
Then came 2022 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The mask fell off. Europe was no longer an open market for political experiments, but a bloc forced to defend itself.
And here comes the revolt:
Europe was right.
The EU enlargement in 2004 was not a mistake. It was one of the most important historical decisions of the continent. Without it, Hungary today could be much closer to the model of a state like Belarus – isolated, dependent and without any real space for choice.
“Freedom is not a gift, it is a condition.” – and Europe understood this better than its critics.
Today, the lesson from Budapest is clear and a bit harsh:
you can criticize Brussels, you can complain about the rules, but without them, there is neither stability, nor funds, nor real choices – only new dependencies with different names.
And the historical irony remains: the more some countries try to challenge Europe, the more they confirm how indispensable it is.