Speaking in central Romania at a press conference with the head of the Hungarian party UDMR Kelemen Hunor, Hungary's foreign minister Szijjártó confirmed that Mark Rutte does not have the vote of his government and welcomed the fact that there is now an Eastern candidate for the post of NATO Secretary General in the person of Romanian president Klaus Iohannis.

Iohannis announced his availability to replace NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg once he steps down this autumn, but he failed to get explicit support from any of the Alliance's states as opposed to outgoing Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte.

"If NATO must strengthen its eastern flank and the challenges come from this direction, maybe the Secretary General should also come from the East (...). As for Mark Rutte, he said earlier that Hungary must be brought to its knees, and it is very difficult to imagine that a person who shares such an opinion should be supported at the top of an institution where full trust is essential. Here, we must have a protective alliance (...), a leader in whom we can trust one hundred percent, and if someone says that we have to kneel, I don't think he has our vote," said Peter Szijjarto, quoted by Bursa.ro.

Szijjarto also said that in the history of NATO, there has never been a secretary general from the East, which is why the Hungarian authorities are happy "that there is a candidate from this region as well."

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Peter Szijjarto)