March 22, 2016 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H1505 the United States, the government of Prime Republic of Poland (SRP) and Polish ganizations, and think tanks, and providing Minister Viktor Orban has emphasized that Falanga. support to friendly media outlets. Russian it has other foreign policy interests, includ- Elsewhere in Europe, pro-Russia positions diplomacy also offers far-right parties access ing building closer relations with Russia. are held by: France’s National Front (FN); to political networks, including by spon- Some analysts assert that the Hungarian Italy’s Lega Nord and the New Force party soring forums and conferences that develop government appears to be the most ‘‘pro- in Italy; the National Democratic Party of and coordinate national doctrines and poli- Russian’’ government of the NATO and EU Germany (NPD); the Freedom Party of Aus- cies and encourage the formation of party countries. Although Hungary is still a de- tria (FPO¨ ); the Flemish Interest (VB) party groups or families. To some extent, analysts mocracy and Russia is not, ideological simi- in Belgium; the Order and Justice (TT) party attribute ties between a number of European larities between Prime Minister Orban and in Lithuania; Golden Dawn in Greece; the far-right parties and parallels in the policies President Putin contribute to cordial rela- Nationalist Party of Bulgaria (NPB) and Bul- of parties in a range of countries to this type tions to a certain extent: both leaders have garia’s Ataka Party; and the British Na- of Russian-sponsored network-building. been organizing their respective states in tional Party (BNP). contrast to the ‘‘liberal, Western model,’’ While many of these parties remain well on f the fringes of their countries’ political scene, with Orban naming Russia (along with ¨ RECESS Singapore, China, India, and Turkey) in a Jobbik, FPO, FN, Golden Dawn, Lega Nord July 2014 speech as the type of state model and TT have had significant electoral suc- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- likely to be successful in the future. In addi- cesses in winning seats in national par- ant to clause 12(a) of rule I, the Chair tion, Putin’s doctrine of ‘‘protecting’’ ethnic liaments and the European Parliament. Analysts assert that supporting far-right declares the House in recess until noon Russian populations that live outside the parties serves as a way for Russia to work today. borders of Russia closely evokes the nation- against European unity. Among other ele- Accordingly (at 10 o’clock and 46 alist view in Hungary of ethnic Hungarian ments of far-right ideology (typically includ- minorities that live outside the borders of minutes a.m.), the House stood in re- ing some combination of extreme nation- the country. According to some Western ob- cess. alism, ‘‘law and order’’ and the preservation servers, Hungary has played an unhelpful of ‘‘traditional’’ conservative or family val- f role in the Ukraine crisis by advocating ues, and anti-immigrant, anti-Semitic, or greater autonomy for a region of western anti-Islam sentiments), most of these parties b 1200 Ukraine inhabited by approximately 150,000 tend to be anti-establishment and anti-EU. ethnic Hungarians. Breaking with European AFTER RECESS Some can be characterized as anti-NATO/ attempts to portray Russia as diplomatically U.S. or isolationist, and some focus on prob- The recess having expired, the House isolated, Orban hosted Putin in a state visit lems with neighboring countries. Jobbik, for was called to order by the Speaker at in February 2015. Orban has been prime min- example, in addition to promoting strongly noon. ister since 2010, and previously from 1998– anti-Roma, anti-Semitic, xenophobic, and 2002, at the head of the conservative Fidesz anti-Western stances, promotes the idea that f party. Slovakia and Romania are enemies of Hun- Hungary has considerable ties to Russia in PRAYER gary due to the ethnic Hungarian minorities the energy sector. Russia provides over 76% living across the border in those countries. Rabbi John Linder, Temple Solel, of the natural gas consumed in Hungary, ac- Although direct evidence of Russian finan- Paradise Valley, Arizona, offered the counting for one quarter of the country’s pri- cial support for far-right parties remains for mary energy supply, and Hungary was a following prayer: the most part difficult to identify, there is a God of all people and all under- strong supporter of Gazprom’s now-cancelled widespread belief that Russia has covertly South Stream pipeline that would have standing, give us strength and reason funneled money to parties such as the FN during these perilous times; bring con- crossed Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, and Slo- and Jobbik. In November 2014, news outlets venia (bypassing Ukraine) to reach Austria reported the discovery that the FN had re- solation to the bereaved in Belgium. Be and Italy. Russia also supplies the fuel for ceived a potentially illegal Ö9 million loan with our public servants here as they Hungary’s Paks nuclear power plant, which from a Russian bank with close ties to Presi- represent these great United States. provides about 40% of the country’s elec- dent Putin. Jobbik has also long been under Collectively, brothers and sisters, tricity. Under a controversial deal reached in suspicion of receiving Russian (and Iranian) early 2014, Russia will loan Hungary Ö10 bil- you are a tapestry of America, a beau- money, and the party’s finances have been tiful quilt of diversity, the best of who lion to finance the construction by Russia’s questioned in the Hungarian Parliament and state-owned Rosatom of two new units at the we can be. Our respective faiths remind investigated by the Hungarian government. us that the measure of society is how Paks plant. After publishing an annual budget of ap- Although it joined its EU partners in con- proximately $10,000 per year for 2004–2008, we treat the most vulnerable: the or- demning the annexation of Crimea as illegal, Jobbik ran a well-financed campaign in the phan, the widow, the stranger in our and signed on to the multiple rounds of sanc- 2009 European Parliament election and re- midst. tions imposed against Russia by the EU, portedly spent over $100,000 in the 2010 na- God bless the Members of this House, Hungary has been among the countries most tional election, when it won nearly 16% of reluctant to impose sanctions in response to their families and staff, and all those the vote. Analysts argued that the sudden in- Russia’s actions in the Ukraine conflict. In workers who humbly serve to care for crease in funding could not have been due to an August 2014 interview, just two weeks and protect these hallowed Halls. domestic contributions. As Jobbik began after the adoption of expanded sectoral EU May these deliberations reflect the running a nationwide party operation, it also sanctions and one week after the announce- abandoned its previous anti-Russian rhetoric best of humanity, honoring the divine ment of retaliatory Russian measures to advocate both good relations with Russia spark in one another. ‘‘Long may our against European food products, Prime Min- and Hungary leaving the EU to join Russia’s land be bright, with freedom’s holy ister Orban called for a re-think of the EU’s Eurasian Union. Jobbik now receives a state light,’’ as we continue to shine as a sanctions, stating, ‘‘The sanctions policy allowance allotted to parties in parliament pursued by the West, that is, ourselves, a beacon of hope to those within our bor- and has an official budget of over $2.3 mil- necessary consequence of which has been ders and around the world. lion. Suspicions of additional private financ- what the Russians are doing, causes more Amen. ing from abroad persist, however. A poten- harm to us than to Russia . In politics, tially key figure in Jobbik’s ties to Moscow f this is called shooting oneself in the foot.’’ is Bela Kova´ cs, a Jobbik Member of the Eu- Although Russia is Hungary’s largest non- ropean Parliament who played a central role THE JOURNAL EU trading partner, with Hungarian exports in the party’s rise in 2009 and has been a to Russia represent less than 3% of Hun- The SPEAKER. The Chair has exam- vocal supporter of Russia in the European gary’s total exports. The Hungarian econ- ined the Journal of the last day’s pro- Parliament. In October 2015, the European omy is tied much more closely to the Ger- ceedings and announces to the House Parliament granted a request by the Hun- man economy. his approval thereof. garian government to lift Kova´ cs’ immunity Russia and European Far-Right Parties from arrest in order to face allegations of Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- In recent years, there has been an increas- spying for Russia. nal stands approved. ingly evident ideological link between Euro- Russian support for far-right parties is not f pean far-right parties and the leadership of merely financial. The Russian government Russia. Far-right parties in V4 countries has also been proactive in offering organiza- PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE that now take openly pro-Russia positions tional expertise, political know-how, and include: Jobbik in Hungary; the Slovak Na- media assistance to parties on Europe’s far- The SPEAKER. Will the gentleman tional Party (SNS) and People’s Party Our right. Russian support has reportedly in- from North Carolina (Mr. Slovakia (L’SNS); the Czech Workers’ Party cluded establishing and coordinating pro- BUTTERFIELD) come forward and lead of Social Justice (DSSS); Self-Defense of the Russian parties, non-governmental civil or- the House in the Pledge of Allegiance.