BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Hungary’s opposition to potential EU sanctions against the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, “has been known for a long time,” Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s press chief told state news agency MTI on Thursday.
European Union leaders agreed in principle earlier this week on a 6th sanctions package against Russia. On Wednesday, three diplomats said Hungary was holding up the finalisation of the sanctions package, insisting on the removal of Patriarch Kirill from the list of sanctioned individuals.
MTI cited press chief Bertalan Havasi as saying that Hungary would keep to the agreement signed at the EU summit on sanctions earlier this week and that no one raised their voice against the Hungarian stance regarding Patriarch Kirill at the EU summit.
(Reporting by Krisztina Than; Editing by Jon Boyle)
