The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), an international political gathering bringing together right-wing and conservative politicians, activists, and public figures from Europe and around the world, is being held in Budapest.
During his address, host Viktor Orban expressed special gratitude to his “loyal colleague” Milorad Dodik.
Orban said that Dodik had “survived U.S. sanctions, pressure from Germany, and harassment from Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
“Believe me my dear friends we would have collapsed if we had endured even half of what Dodik has endured. But he succeeded. Thank you, Milorad, for being here with us today,” said Orban.
However, he did not mention the reasons why Dodik was placed on sanctions lists, including the fact that he has been convicted by a final court ruling, or that he frequently makes offensive remarks about other peoples, including people within his own community who do not share his views.
Who Will Address the Conference?
The conference will feature remarks by Miklós Szánthó, Director General of the Center for Fundamental Rights and host of the event, as well as Matt Schlapp, Chairman of the CPAC Foundation.
Speakers will also include the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, and the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Andrej Babiš.
Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Péter Szijjártó and Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office Gergely Gulyás are also scheduled to speak, along with U.S. political commentator Dave Rubin.
The programme includes a number of panel discussions and Q&A sessions with participants from various countries, including Brazilian lawmaker Eduardo Bolsonaro.
Several European and U.S. politicians are also expected to address the conference, including Geert Wilders, Mateusz Morawiecki, and Santiago Abascal, as well as members of the U.S. Congress.
The conference will conclude with speeches by Alice Weidel of Germany, André Ventura of Portugal, and the President of Argentina, Javier Milei.
What Is CPAC
CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) is a major annual gathering of conservative politicians that originated in the United States in the 1970s and is now organized in several countries, including Hungary.
It serves as a platform for political actors advocating sovereignty and traditional values. At the same time, critics view it as a meeting point for right-wing and populist movements seeking to strengthen their political influence in Europe.
Dodik: This Is a Hungarian Branch of Trump’s Effort
Dodik thanked Orban and his associates in a post on the social media platform X.
“A great leader of the Hungarian people said that many would have collapsed if they had gone through what I have endured. That means a lot to me. I also thank my associates. This praise belongs to all of them and to everyone who believed in the policies we are implementing. We should expect success in the future. Our public should know that this is a gathering organized as part of U.S. and Hungarian efforts to promote shared values. This is the Hungarian branch of Trump’s, that is, the Republican effort,” said Dodik.
