Hungary is not sure it needs to approve Sweden's bid to join NATO, the parliament speaker has said, potentially signalling further delays to the process.
Hungary's approval has been stranded in parliament since July 2022.
"It is not sure we need to approve this bid," parliament speaker Laszlo Kover, a senior lawmaker of the ruling Fidesz party, told HirTV on Sunday.
His comments follow a letter Hungary's foreign minister wrote to his Swedish counterpart last week in which he again raised concerns over what he called "biased and unfair" accusations by some Swedish politicians against the Hungarian government.
Sweden applied for NATO membership last year in response to Russia's offensive in Ukraine and most alliance members quickly ratified its bid.
Türkiye and Hungary, however, have yet to ratify Sweden's bid, and both countries have said they closely coordinating their stance on the matter.
Hungary's parliament will reconvene later this month, but it is not clear yet whether a debate and vote on the Swedish ratification will be on the agenda.
