Mobile billboard straight from Hungary criticises Verhofstadt

In retaliation for a similar action carried out in Hungary last month, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban arranged for a mobile billboard to drive around Brussels this week, criticising Belgian MEP Guy Verhofstadt. The billboard states “Hundreds have died in terrorist attacks since 2015” then quotes Verhofstadt saying: “We don’t have a migration crisis.”

Verhofstadt, a former prime minister of Belgium, is the leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE). Early last month, he hired a mobile billboard to drive around in Budapest with the message: “First he took our money. Now he wants to destroy Europe.”

Since the 2015 refugee crisis Orban has become more populist and Eurosceptic, ordering the construction of the Hungary-Serbia barrier to block entry of immigrants. His government invested €18 million in anti-European campaigns this autumn after a critical report on eroding democracy in his country pushed the European parliament to consider sanctions.

Verhofstadt replied to the Brussels billboard on Twitter: “Not very original, Viktor. First you copied your policies from Putin, then you took money from the EU and now you steal my campaign ideas. You'll have to do better than that in May 2019!”

Photo: Twitter