The Czech Republic holds a parliamentary election on Oct. 8-9. On the campaign trail, accompanied by Orban, Babis stressed how he and the Hungarian leader had blocked the European Commission's plan to distribute asylum seekers around the bloc under a quota system following Europe's 2015 migration crisis. Orban also praised their countries' close cooperation as well as the Czech Republic's economic success. One of the two main opposition coalitions contesting the Czech election, the Pirate Party/Mayors, attacked Babis over his ties with Orban. "Viktor Orban shifted Hungary from democracy to autocracy over the past 10 years," its chief Ivan Bartos said on Facebook.

Source: The Star September 29, 2021 17:15 UTC