Sir, – In answer to the question in Peter Declan O'Halloran's letter of April 7th, Victor Orban and those voters who elected him to a fourth term are of course entitled to "hold dear their own values, principles and ideals".
Therefore to take Mr O’Halloran’s point to its logical conclusion, Hungary should be leaving a European Union which plainly subscribes to a different set of values, principles and ideals. As Brexit demonstrates, no country is forced to remain a member.
The difficulty of course is that Hungary is a massive net beneficiary of the EU budget and Victor Orban wants the money to keep flowing, and to keep the benefits of the single market and freedom of movement for its citizens who remit money back to family, etc. Mr Orban and his regime have been trying to have it both ways for some time.
Mr O’Halloran should also accept that voters of other member states are also entitled to hold dear their values, principles and ideals, which can include not wanting their taxes to be spent on an undemocratic, de facto one-party state, which is what Hungary has become. – Yours, etc,
JOHN
FLAHIVE,
London.