Hungary's Orban arrives in Georgia after disputed election

TBILISI — 

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrived successful Georgia connected Monday aft having congratulated the ruling enactment connected its triumph successful an predetermination which the absorption says was marred by voting violations.

Georgia's electoral committee said Georgian Dream won Saturday's predetermination with astir 54% of the vote, but absorption parties disputed the results and called for protests.

The predetermination results are a stroke for pro-Western Georgians who had formed the ballot arsenic a prime betwixt a ruling enactment that has deepened ties with Russia and an absorption aiming to fast-track integration with Europe.

Orban congratulated Georgian Dream enactment connected their triumph connected Saturday.

"The radical of Georgia cognize what is champion for their country, and made their dependable heard today!" helium wrote connected X.

Orban was accompanied connected his sojourn to Georgia by Hungary's finance, system and overseas ministers.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto wrote connected Facebook connected Monday the Georgian effect was an "ugly defeat" for liberals.

Hungary — which presently holds the presidency of the EU Council — has angered chap members of the EU and NATO with its determination to support adjacent ties with Russia contempt the 2022 penetration of Ukraine.

The European Union, the United States and NATO person called for a afloat probe of alleged predetermination irregularities. Georgian Dream and the electoral committee accidental the ballot was escaped and fair.

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili called the effect a "Russian peculiar operation," accused the ruling enactment connected Monday of resorting to Russian-style tactics and propaganda, and called for Georgians to instrumentality to the streets connected Monday evening.

The Kremlin connected Monday denied immoderate Russian interference successful the vote, saying it was the West, not Moscow, that was trying to destabilize the situation.

In July, Orban stoked contention erstwhile helium traveled connected what the Hungarian authorities has described arsenic a "peace mission" to Moscow and Beijing during Hungary's presidency without coordinating with its EU partners.