Editing Foreign relations of Hungary (section)

==Overview==
As with any country, Hungarian security attitudes are shaped largely by history and geography. For Hungary, this is a history of more than 400 years of domination by great powers—the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottomans]], the [[Habsburg]] dynasty, the [[Nazi Germany|Germans]] during [[World War II]], and the Soviets during the [[Cold War]]—and a geography of regional instability and separation from Hungarian minorities living in neighboring countries. Hungary's foreign policy priorities, largely consistent since 1990, represent a direct response to these factors. From 1990, Hungary's top foreign policy goal was achieving integration into Western economic and security organizations. Hungary joined the [[Partnership for Peace]] program in 1994 and has actively supported the [[IFOR]] and [[SFOR]] missions in [[Bosnia and Herzegovina|Bosnia]]. The [[Gyula Horn|Horn]] government achieved Hungary's most important foreign policy successes of the post-communist era by securing invitations to join both [[NATO]] and the [[European Union]] in 1997. Hungary became a member of NATO in 1999,<ref>{{cite web |title=THE ACCESSION OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC, HUNGARY AND POLAND |url=https://www.nato.int/docu/comm/1999/9904-wsh/pres-eng/03acce.pdf |website=nato.int}}</ref> and a member of the [[European Union|EU]] in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hungary |url=https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/country-profiles/hungary_en |website=europa.eu}}</ref>

Hungary also has improved its often frosty neighborly relations by signing basic treaties with [[Romania]], [[Slovakia]], and [[Ukraine]]. These renounce all outstanding territorial claims and lay the foundation for constructive relations. However, the issue of ethnic Hungarian minority rights in Slovakia and Romania periodically causes bilateral tensions to flare up. Hungary was a signatory to the [[Helsinki Final Act]] in 1975, has signed all of the CSCE/[[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|OSCE]] follow-on documents since 1989, and served as the OSCE's Chairman-in-Office in 1997. Hungary's record of implementing CSCE '''Helsinki Final Act''' provisions, including those on the reunification of divided families, remains among the best in eastern Europe. Hungary has been a member of the [[United Nations]] since December 1955.

;The [[Gabčíkovo - Nagymaros Dams]] project
This involves Hungary and Czechoslovakia, and was agreed on September 16, 1977 ("Budapest Treaty"). The treaty envisioned a [[cross-border]] barrage system between the towns Gabčíkovo, [[Czechoslovakia]] and Nagymaros, Hungary. After an intensive campaign, the project became widely hated as a symbol of the old [[communist]] regime. In 1989 the [[Hungary|Hungarian]] government decided to suspend it. In its sentence from September 1997, the [[International Court of Justice]] stated that both sides breached their obligation and that the 1977 Budapest Treaty is still valid. In 1998 the Slovak government turned to the International Court, demanding the Nagymaros part to be built. The international dispute was partially solved in 2017.

On March 19, 2008, Hungary recognized [[Kosovo]] as an independent country.<ref>{{cite web|title=Croatia and Hungary recognize Kosovo|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/19/europe/kosovo.php|work=[[The Associated Press]]|publisher=International Herald Tribune|date=2008-03-19|access-date=2008-09-21}}</ref>

Relations between Hungary and its Western partners have strained, because Orban's government has  maintained relations with Russia despite [[Sanctions against Russia for the invasion of Ukraine|sanctions against Russia]] after the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Hungary's loyalties tested as Russia's war in Ukraine grinds on |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/14/hungarys-loyalties-tested-as-russias-war-in-ukraine-grinds-on |website=aljazeera.com |access-date=14 Apr 2023}}</ref>

'''Illicit drugs:'''
Major trans-shipment point for [[Southwest Asia]]n [[heroin]] and [[cannabis (drug)|cannabis]] and transit point for [[South America]]n [[cocaine]] destined for [[Western Europe]]; limited producer of precursor [[chemical compound|chemicals]], particularly for [[amphetamine]]s and [[methamphetamine]]s

'''Refugee protection:'''
The [[Hungarian border barrier]] was built in 2015, and Hungary was criticized by other European countries for using tear gas and water cannons on [[refugees of the Syrian Civil War]] as they were trying to pass the country.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2015/sep/16/first-refugees-head-for-croatia-after-hungarys-border-crackdown-live-updates Hungary border crackdown], The Guardian 16 September 2015</ref><ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hungarian-police-spray-tear-gas-water-cannons-at-migrants/ Hungarian police spray tear gas water cannons at migrants], CBS News 16 September 2015</ref>

Since 2017, [[Hungary–Ukraine relations]] have rapidly deteriorated over the issue of the [[Hungarians in Ukraine|Hungarian minority in Ukraine]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Ukraine defends education reform as Hungary promises 'pain' |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/ukraine-defends-education-reform-as-hungary-promises-pain-1.3235916 |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=27 September 2017}}</ref><ref>"[https://www.neweurope.eu/article/hungary-ukraine-relations-hit-new-low-troop-deployment/ Hungary-Ukraine relations hit new low over troop deployment] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331181346/https://www.neweurope.eu/article/hungary-ukraine-relations-hit-new-low-troop-deployment/ |date=2019-03-31 }}". ''New Europe''. 26 March 2018.</ref>