Slovakian premier presents new scarf to Hungary's Orban after 'Greater Hungary' controversy

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - Slovakia's prime minister on Thursday gave his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban a new scarf after Orban caused controversy by showing off a “Greater Hungary” scarf before cameras.

Eduard Heger presented a new Slovakian scarf while welcoming Orban to a summit of Visegrad group leaders in Slovakia after Orban was criticized by neighboring countries for wearing a football scarf adorned with a map of an expanded Hungary at a recent football match.

A map on his scarf featured pre-1920 borders of Hungary including territory now belonging to several of its neighbors – Austria, Croatia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine.

''I’ve welcomed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to the V4 summit in Kosice and as winter is approaching gave him a new scarf,'' said Heger, sharing a photo of the two on social media.

"I noticed that Viktor Orban has an old scarf, so I gave him a new one today," he added on Facebook.

Slovakia, Romania, and Austria earlier criticized Orban's move and demanded an apology.

Sharing the same photo, Orban said that Hungary and Slovakia are good friends.

Ukraine, already facing a war launched by Russia for its territory, summoned the Hungarian ambassador to Kyiv to the Foreign Ministry.

Orban on Tuesday tried to downplay the controversy, writing on Facebook: “Soccer is not politics. Do not read things into it that are not there.”