Hungarian Media: Orban Won Big From Von der Leyen’s List

Author Laszlo Szocs pointed out that this portfolio affects two areas, Ukraine and Serbia, where important ethnic Hungarian communities live. The editorial also quoted several critical statements from the opposition - that it then refuted.

"It is in Europe's interest that the Von der Leyen commission should swiftly replace the [former] Juncker commission, which was broken by the migration crisis," the editorial insisted.

On Tuesday, following the announcement of the commission nominees, Von der Leyen stated that "the Western Balkans are very important" and that she wanted the region to be "as close as possible to the European Union".

"Deserves respect," read the title of an op-ed published by another pro-government newspaper, Magyar Hírlap.

This author opined that Hungary got good news on Tuesday and quoted Von der Leyen when she pointed out that the Commission and Hungary shared the same goals on the integration of the Western Balkans. "The liberals in Brussels are furious, as are their friends in Hungary, and they want to make thing harder for Trocsanyi," she wrote.

Trocsanyi is a close associate of Prime Minister Orban and presided over controversial legal reforms that the European Commission said undermined the rule of law.

"Laszlo Trocsanyi got a significant role in the EU," wrote Andras Kovacs in an article published by Origo, the most read pro-government online newspaper in Hungary. 

The opposition media, meanwhile, reacted to the nomination with anger and consternation. "Will Trocsanyi be the ambassador of democracy?" asked an article by Laszlo Arato. 

The Brussels correspondent of right-wing but not pro-government weekly Magyar Hang recalled that Orban had sought the same Enlargement role...