“[Peter Magyar] has started very positively and actively — it is clearly visible that his policy is fundamentally different from Orbán’s. Orbán acted as a Trojan horse and significantly reduced the geopolitical role of the European Union,” said Giorgi Tumasiani, a member of the initiative “For Georgia First,” during an appearance on PalitraNews’ program “Day Newsroom.”

According to him, Magyar’s statements confirm that when the opposition comes to power, it adopts a state-oriented approach.

“[Peter Magyar] has started very positively and actively — it is evident that his policy is fundamentally different from Orbán’s. Of course, internal corruption issues are very important, as well as correcting the foreign policy vector and attempting to restore relations with Brussels, including with regional allies within the Visegrád Group. We have also seen statements about steps toward unfreezing funds. This will improve the reality in which the EU, as a major political and economic union, becomes more effective, because it was Orbán who played the role of a Trojan horse and significantly weakened the EU’s geopolitical role. The EU will unify its positions, which will naturally have a positive impact, including on EU–Georgia relations. It will have a more unified and clear stance.

We know that funds related to Ukraine will be unblocked, which will be positive both for Ukraine and for us. However, some caution is visible in Magyar’s statements — he said that he does not intend to get involved in any conflict regarding Ukraine, which was part of Orbán’s false logic. If we draw a parallel, the same false logic exists in ‘Georgian Dream,’ claiming that if the opposition comes to power, it would lead to war.

Magyar’s statements confirm that when the opposition comes to power, it thinks in a state-oriented manner. He also stated that he wants to maintain normal relations with Russia rather than worsen them. This is natural, and I think this is the environment in Georgia as well. Any responsible government will try to avoid further escalation or deterioration of relations,” Tumasiani said.

Tumasiani also spoke about EU–Hungary relations, noting that the fact that Magyar is pro-European and not an anti-EU political figure is enough to believe that he will resolve most issues.

“I think the key requirements of the EU are fully acceptable for the new government. On certain points, negotiations and constructive agreements are possible. If we draw a parallel with the nine conditions given to Georgia by the EU, the main thing there was the idea and logic, not the technical details of how each point would be fulfilled. What mattered was the direction. The fact that Magyar is pro-European and not an anti-EU figure is enough for me to think that he will resolve most issues. Naturally, the EU will act constructively and will not look for reasons to escalate tensions with Hungary,” he added.

In response to a question about Magyar’s statement regarding Ukraine’s accelerated EU accession, Tumasiani noted that not only Hungary but many countries oppose fast-tracking Ukraine’s membership due to concerns in the agricultural sector.

“Not only Hungary, but many countries oppose Ukraine’s accelerated accession to the EU. This is linked to a specific sector — agriculture — which, for example, has no direct connection to Georgia. Ukraine’s accession would bring huge changes to the internal market and increase competition. Even Poland, a key ally of Ukraine, opposes rapid accession because it would not have time to adapt its agricultural sector to the massive inflow of products from Ukraine, which could damage the sector. That is why countries are cautious. On the other hand, supporting the integration of a country in an active conflict could be perceived as involvement in that war, which is another reason for caution,” he explained.

Additionally, Tumasiani commented on U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies, noting that “what Trump says and what he does are often completely different.”

“As an international relations specialist, I focus on what he does, because if you look at what he says, his statements often have a show-like element. He makes several statements a day that logically contradict each other, but what matters is what the United States actually does,” Tumasiani concluded.