Donald Tusk, the European Council’s president wanted to greet his country’s famous freedom fighter, Lech Walesa with a birthday card signed by all members of the council. Only two leaders didn’t sign it, according to 444.hu‘s article.

As it can be seen on a photo posted by former Polish president’s son, current Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and his Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orban didn’t sign the birthday card.

75 urodziny mojego Taty! Dziękuję Przewodniczącemu Rady Europejskiej @donaldtusk ! https://t.co/5KKkhxeSFC—
Jarosław Wałęsa (@WalesaMEP) September 29, 2018

The article reminds that Walesa has been criticising Poland’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, so Morawiecki’s “boycott” is not surprising. Orban is his close ally and has also faced Walesa’s criticism.

“I know your prime minister very well, we met several times – even in his home – and earlier I had a better opinion about him. He is a wise man with good arguments but I thought we would rather build,”

– Walesa said about Viktor Orban in an interview with Hungarian weekly Heti Valasz last December. “Many like populism and demagogy but a responsible person does not act like this,” he added. Walesa held a speech at the Fidesz congress in 1998, during the last days of the election campaign (which led to the first Fidesz government). In 2014 Walesa received the honorary citizenship of Budapest as well as the Stephen the Saint and the Visegrad Bridge Prizes, this was the last time so far when he visited Budapest.

Hungary Journal
Photo: MTI