There is "no urgency" to ratify Sweden's NATO accession: Hungarian PM

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (Front) speaks in parliament to open the autumn session in Budapest, Hungary, on Sept. 25, 2023. Orban said on Monday there is "no urgency" to ratify Sweden's accession to NATO, and called for "respect" from the Nordic country. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

BUDAPEST, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Monday there is "no urgency" to ratify Sweden's accession to NATO, and called for "respect" from the Nordic country.

Speaking in parliament to open the autumn session, the Hungarian leader said: "There is no urgency from the government to push for support regarding Sweden's NATO accession, and Sweden's security is not under threat."

The issue of Swedish NATO accession has been under discussion for more than a year. Within the military alliance, only the Turkish and Hungarian parliaments are yet to approve Sweden's membership.

Divergences between Hungary and Sweden have escalated in recent weeks as a past film resurfaced, shown in Swedish schools, presenting Hungary as a bad example of democracy in the European Union.

On Thursday, Mate Kocsis, group leader of Orban's Fidesz party, said the chances that the Hungarian Parliament would vote on Sweden in the current autumn session were "low."

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (1st L) speaks in parliament to open the autumn session in Budapest, Hungary, on Sept. 25, 2023. Orban said on Monday there is "no urgency" to ratify Sweden's accession to NATO, and called for "respect" from the Nordic country. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (Front) speaks in parliament to open the autumn session in Budapest, Hungary, on Sept. 25, 2023. Orban said on Monday there is "no urgency" to ratify Sweden's accession to NATO, and called for "respect" from the Nordic country. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (Front) speaks in parliament to open the autumn session in Budapest, Hungary, on Sept. 25, 2023. Orban said on Monday there is "no urgency" to ratify Sweden's accession to NATO, and called for "respect" from the Nordic country. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)