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László Szerencsés @szerlasz.bsky.social · 14h

Turkey’s Drone Sales to Kosovo Test its Friendship with Serbia

László Szerencsés @szerlasz.bsky.social · 14h

Outrage one day, admiration the next.

Vučić’s reaction to Turkey's drone sales to Kosovo captures the fragile pragmatism holding Serbia–Turkey relations together.

✍️ My latest in Balkan Insight: balkaninsight.com/2025/10/10/t...

A shipment of Turkish-made military drones to Kosovo reignited old tensions between Ankara and Belgrade. But after initially accusing Turkey of imperial ambitions, Serbia’s president backtracked, high...

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László Szerencsés @szerlasz.bsky.social · Aug 24

@whitejenny.bsky.social delivering her keynote lecture on „Beyond oppression and resistance: The transformative power of theory“ at the CEST Summer School in Turin.

Hungary’s Foreign Policy Crossroads – and Why It Matters for the EU

Reposted by László Szerencsés

László Szerencsés @szerlasz.bsky.social · Aug 19

Hungary is at a crossroads - my op-ed for BI
⚖️ Orbán’s anti-Western course vs. Magyar’s cautious pro-Western shift
🛑 Vetoes could end, but migration & UA remain red lines
🚪 Silent support, not loud intervention — Berlin and the EU should give Magyar space to win
balkaninsight.com/2025/08/19/h...

For the first time in 15 years, Viktor Orban faces the real possibility of losing power as Peter Magyar’s opposition party leads in the polls. The outcome could reshape Hungary’s foreign policy, with ...

Péter Magyar: Orbán should invite Putin and Zelensky to Budapest

Reposted by László Szerencsés

Szabolcs Panyi @szabolcspanyi.bsky.social · Aug 21

💥🤯 Reaction by Hungary’s pro-Kremlin leadership to Russia’s airstrike on Transcarpathia, home to Ukraine’s Hungarian minority: Viktor Orbán’s FM Péter Szijjártó avoids naming Russia or the region. President Sulyok, Orbán’s puppet, mentions “Russian” air strike in his post—but later deletes the word.

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László Szerencsés @szerlasz.bsky.social · Aug 19

By floating the idea first, Magyar pre-empts Orbán and seizes the initiative. It signals to FIDESZ voters: my offer isn’t so different from his.

László Szerencsés @szerlasz.bsky.social · Aug 19

Why does Magyar, Orbán's challenger, want the Putin–Zelensky meeting to be held in Budapest? He’s preparing for the worst. If it takes place in HU, Orbàn would argue that his pro-Russia, anti-Ukraine line has been justified – and that could boost him in the 2026 elections. telex.hu/english/2025...

Magyar recalled that as part of the Budapest Memorandum, signed in 1994, Russia recognized Ukraine's territorial sovereignty and independence, so a meeting between the two leaders in the Hungarian cap...

telex.hu

Hungary’s Foreign Policy Crossroads – and Why It Matters for the EU

László Szerencsés @szerlasz.bsky.social · Aug 19

Hungary is at a crossroads - my op-ed for BI
⚖️ Orbán’s anti-Western course vs. Magyar’s cautious pro-Western shift
🛑 Vetoes could end, but migration & UA remain red lines
🚪 Silent support, not loud intervention — Berlin and the EU should give Magyar space to win
balkaninsight.com/2025/08/19/h...

For the first time in 15 years, Viktor Orban faces the real possibility of losing power as Peter Magyar’s opposition party leads in the polls. The outcome could reshape Hungary’s foreign policy, with ...

Orbán’s Fidesz party proposes Russia-style crackdown on Hungary’s civil society

Reposted by László Szerencsés

Aron Lund @aronlund.bsky.social · May 26

Informative quick briefing on why Hungary is such an important piece of the Turkey-Russia-EU gas pipeline puzzle, by László Szerencsés for the Stockholm University Institute for Turkish Studies.

www.su.se/institute-fo...

@szerlasz.bsky.social

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László Szerencsés @szerlasz.bsky.social · May 22

Hungary hosted the informal summit of the Organisation of Turkic States on 20-21 May in Budapest. In his speech, Viktor Orbán emphasized the organisation’s role in Hungary’s energy diversification efforts. See my earlier report for the background.

László Szerencsés @szerlasz.bsky.social · Feb 3

1/🚨 Publication alert 🚨- My report on Turkey-Hungary relations is out! What started as an economic diversification strategy turned into a symbolic alliance after Turkey's failed 2016 coup attempt, and Hungary's isolation inside the EU in the same period. ipc.sabanciuniv.edu/Content/Imag...

Reposted by László Szerencsés

András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · May 18

Orban making overtures to Simion made sense from one perspective only: to gain an illiberal ally in the EU Council. Orban chose to make this incredibly costly gamble, essentially betraying the Transylvanian voters his party spent decades cultivating. And he lost. This is likely consequential.

Szabolcs Panyi @szabolcspanyi.bsky.social · May 18

💥Viktor Orbán made one of his biggest mistakes by praising anti-Hungarian far-right candidate George Simion.

🇭🇺 In Hungary, he hurt his “nationalist” credibility, angering many right-wing voters.

🇷🇴 In Romania, the Orbán-loyal Hungarian diaspora voted most heavily against Simion.

👎And Simion lost.

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Reposted by László Szerencsés

András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · May 14

Hungary's "inoagent" law is here
Increasingly trailing behind in the polls and facing a fiscal meltdown, this looks like part of a hail-mary attempt to eviscerate and intimidate critical media, NGOs, shut down public debate, and, likely, to prepare the disqualification of opposition candidates.

Szabolcs Panyi @szabolcspanyi.bsky.social · May 14

‼️🇭🇺 Democracy is dying in daylight in Hungary: Viktor Orbán’s regime is set to blacklist “foreign-funded” (including EU-funded) NGOs and media, then unleash the tax office to bleed them dry, issue fines and even shut them down.

It’s happening because the EU Commission simply doesn’t give a damn.

The new bill fits into a pattern of democratic backsliding for the Central European country.

www.politico.eu

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Reposted by László Szerencsés

Zselyke Csaky @zecsaky.bsky.social · May 14

This seems like an existential threat to Hungary's independent sector. Besides practically forbidding any criticism of Hungary's "democracy" if an organization or media outlet receives foreign funding (including EU money), it would make receiving domestic funding difficult as well.

Dániel G. Szabó @gszd.bsky.social · May 14

@politico.eu: "The bill says threats to national sovereignty include influencing public opinion, promoting democratic debate, or challenging state-defined values like Christian culture and traditional family roles."

Orbán’s Fidesz party proposes Russia-style crackdown on Hungary’s civil society

The new bill fits into a pattern of democratic backsliding for the Central European country.

www.politico.eu

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Reposted by László Szerencsés

Diego Cupolo @diegocupolo.bsky.social · May 14

Notably, Turkey and Hungary are #3 and #7 on the chart.

@szerlasz.bsky.social wrote a timely analysis about that and EU policy (maps included): www.su.se/institute-fo...

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László Szerencsés @szerlasz.bsky.social · May 14

Thanks, @diegocupolo.bsky.social FYI @paultlevin.bsky.social

The Turkish Energy Hub and the Hungary Connection: Challenging EU Gas Diversification Efforts - Institute for Turkish Studies

Reposted by László Szerencsés

László Szerencsés @szerlasz.bsky.social · Feb 3

1/🚨 Publication alert 🚨- My report on Turkey-Hungary relations is out! What started as an economic diversification strategy turned into a symbolic alliance after Turkey's failed 2016 coup attempt, and Hungary's isolation inside the EU in the same period. ipc.sabanciuniv.edu/Content/Imag...

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Reposted by László Szerencsés

László Szerencsés @szerlasz.bsky.social · May 6

As the EU is about to propose banning Russian gas imports by the end of 2027, see my brief on how Turkey and Hungary have challenged these efforts. www.su.se/institute-fo...

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László Szerencsés @szerlasz.bsky.social · May 6

As the EU is about to propose banning Russian gas imports by the end of 2027, see my brief on how Turkey and Hungary have challenged these efforts. www.su.se/institute-fo...

www.su.se

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László Szerencsés @szerlasz.bsky.social · May 6

As the EU is about to propose banning Russian gas imports by the end of 2027, see my brief on how Turkey and Hungary have challenged these efforts. www.su.se/institute-fo...

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László Szerencsés @szerlasz.bsky.social · Mar 17

Thanks for sharing, Paul!

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Reposted by László Szerencsés

Paul T. Levin @paultlevin.bsky.social · Mar 17

The latest SUITS Policy Brief by Hungarian Turkey expert @szerlasz.bsky.social is an absolute must-read. Cooperation between Turkey and Hungary on gas exports seriously complicates the EU’s efforts to diversify from its over-reliance on Russian gas.

László Szerencsés @szerlasz.bsky.social · Mar 17

The EU’s gas diversification efforts are being challenged. My latest SUITS Brief explores how Turkey’s energy hub ambitions and Hungary’s energy policies undermine the EU’s efforts, and offers a way to move forward. 🧵👇1/5

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László Szerencsés @szerlasz.bsky.social · Mar 17

This isn’t just about energy - it’s about preventing them from aligning with the Trump administration’s policy on Ukraine and improving their troubled relations with the EU. Can the EU step up against Russian influence in member states and candidate countries? Read my full analysis below. 5/5

SUITS Policy Brief 2025:1 (March) discusses why Turkey’s energy hub and its cooperation with Hungary in the field of natural gas exports pose challenges to the EU’s efforts to isolate Russia.

www.su.se

László Szerencsés @szerlasz.bsky.social · Mar 17

To counter this, the EU must rethink its approach. Offering strategic incentives to Turkey and Hungary, such as brokers in alternative gas deals with Azerbaijan or Turkmenistan and competitive gas alternatives, could shift Ankara’s and Budapest’s calculations, reducing their reliance on Russia. 4/5

László Szerencsés @szerlasz.bsky.social · Mar 17

Hungary, heavily reliant on Russian energy, reinforces this setup. Rather than diversifying, it aligns with Turkey’s approach, further weakening the EU’s ability to reduce dependence on Moscow. 3/5