Orbán’s EU fixer faces becoming Hungary’s ‘fall guy’ – POLITICO
“By definition, everybody understands of each other that the loyalty is to your political bosses and to delivering results to their instructions,” said Ivan Rogers, about national ambassadors to the EU, a role he performed for the U.K. in Brussels until 2017. And, whatever Ódor thought about these instructions personally, he followed them to the letter. While even those who worked closely with Ódor were uncertain about whether he was simply following orders or shared Orbán’s desire to bash Brussels, his reputation as the outgoing prime minister’s fixer may well be his downfall, according to five diplomats and officials from countries other than Hungary who worked with him closely, and who were granted anonymity to speak to POLITICO. It would be easy to think that, given Orbán’s loud anti-EU stance, his man in Brussels would be a blunt instrument. Quite the opposite. Ódor is an expert on its treaties and has a PhD in international relations. Universities back home use his books to teach students how Europe works. Hungary’s ambassador to the EU Bálint Ódor, …
