Prepared by Messenger Staff
Hungary's Péter Magyar Signals Continued Ties With Georgia
Hungary's prime minister-in-waiting Péter Magyar said his government would maintain strong relations with Georgia following his election victory on April 12, which will see him replace Viktor Orbán, a close partner of the ruling Georgian Dream.
"Obviously, we will continue good relations with Georgia," Magyar said at an April 13 press conference when asked about future ties with Tbilisi.
He added that Hungary's foreign policy would remain consistent regardless of past alliances. "The fact that Viktor Orbán's government had strong ties with a country . does not mean that Hungary will have less relations with the same country," he said. "If Hungary had bad relations with the country, we will improve that."
Magyar also stressed a commitment to cooperation while ruling out political interference. "We are not going to interfere with the internal affairs of other countries," he said. "We will not try to influence elections . that is not our style."
He added that he looks forward to future engagement, saying, "I am happy to visit you in Tbilisi . and I'm looking forward to working with you."
Defense Official Defends Army Food Standards in Parliament
Grigol Giorgadze, the Georgian Dream First Deputy Minister of Defense, defended the quality of food provided to soldiers during a parliamentary session on changes to the Defense Code.
"The army has the best food, even compared to NATO member states," he said, adding that conditions, infrastructure, and social benefits are also among the strongest.
He was responding to a question from Vika Philphani of the For Georgia faction, who asked whether soldiers had been "eating poisoned food".
Giorgadze rejected that claim. "The army has not been eating poisoned food," he said, noting that food safety is subject to "daily monitoring and preventive measures."
He also said that many recruits voluntarily join compulsory service because of improved conditions. "More than half of the military personnel join compulsory service voluntarily," he said, pointing to benefits for both personal development and national defense.
"If, during the process, before the food reaches the dining hall, any issue is identified, that is a different matter," Giorgadze added. "Let's not confuse the two."
