Democracy Digest: Hungary Troops Attacked in Kosovo; Army Chief Accused of Torture

The woes of Gabor Borondi, new commander-in-chief of the Hungarian Defence Forces, continued this week when he was accused of "torture", Radio Free Europe reported. Borondi, who was only appointed at the beginning of May, has already caused a diplomatic furore when he called the 1939 Nazi Germany attack against Poland a "local war" that escalated into World War II due to a lack of peace efforts. He is known for tough talking, which may sound soldierlike but certainly doesn't contribute to the appeal of the ailing Hungarian military. In the latest scandal, he called army drivers "gossipy" and said they should be "taught" a lesson. Consequently, all were summoned and told they would be transported to an "unknown place" for training. In a letter reportedly sent to the prosecutor's office, some drivers complained they were put under physical and mental stress, woken up three times during the night, and made to carry out pointless and humiliating exercises. In a response sent to the government-close Index.hu news outlet, the Defence Ministry argued that what happened was permissible under a special legal order introduced since the war in Ukraine. "Drivers are subject to the same expectations and obligations as other members of staff. The skills required to fulfil their position are acquired through training, in this case it took place during a multi-day combat training session," the ministry said. The prosecutor's office confirmed receiving the accusation, but no probe has yet been launched.

With 442 votes for and 144 against and 33 abstentions, the European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution that openly questions Hungary's ability to fulfil its presidency of the Council of the EU, which should start in July 2024. The document lists a range of problems...