Hungary takes on EU presidency amid concerns

(ANSA-AFP) - BUDAPEST, JUL 1 - Hungary takes over the EU's rotating presidency on Monday, promising to be an "honest broker" despite widespread concerns over what critics see as an authoritarian, Russia-friendly government. Nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has run the central European country since 2010 aiming to transform it into an "illiberal democracy", frequently clashes with Brussels over rule-of-law and human rights issues. He is also the only EU leader who has maintained ties with Russia despite its invasion of Ukraine. He has refused to send arms to Kyiv and repeatedly slammed sanctions against Moscow over the war. Last year, the European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution highlighting Hungary's "backsliding" on democratic values, and questioning how it could "credibly" assume the bloc's six-month presidency. (ANSA-AFP).