Orbán didn't invite either the Poles or the Slovaks to the 20 August celebrations

The offices of the Polish and Slovak prime ministers have confirmed to hvg.hu that they did not receive invitations from the Hungarian government to either the 20 August celebrations or the World Athletics Championships on Sunday.

“The way this happens – and I myself have been part of such things – is that when there is a big global event, a country invites its friends or welcomes all those who are interested”

- Orbán said on Sunday on public radio, explaining the significance of the foreign leaders and politicians attending the opening ceremony of the World Athletics Championships, many of whom later joined him for watching the fireworks display from his office balcony at the former Carmelite Monastery on 20 August and also held bilateral meetings with the Prime Minister.

None of the current EU heads of government were among the guests, nor were any leading politicians from the Visegrad countries present, so Hvg.hu asked the offices of the Czech, Slovak, Polish, Austrian and Slovenian heads of government whether they had received invitations to the World Athletics Championships or the 20 August celebrations.

The Polish government replied that neither the Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki nor his office had received an invitation to any of the events, and the Slovak Prime Minister's office made a similar statement.