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00:00:00war.
00:01:02Hello and welcome to Global from the BBC World Service. Every
00:01:06week, we bring you the best investigative reports from the BBC World Service and important
00:01:09and captivating reports from BBC channels around the world.
00:01:13I'm Stephanie Hekarti, and this week we're
00:01:17with you from Hungary. Following a
00:01:20major political shift, I've come here to understand how Viktor Orbán, with the
00:01:24longest premiership in the European Union, lost
00:01:27power, and whether his fall can be a wake-up call for
00:01:31populist leaders around the world. Also in this program,
00:01:35we reveal how self-proclaimed Russian extremist groups, by
00:01:38creating fear and intimidation, target citizens who they claim
00:01:41are enemies of Russia. Who funds these groups, and do
00:01:45they operate with the Kremlin's approval? The surrogacy industry
00:01:49in Ukraine has brought billions of dollars in revenue to the
00:01:53country. But now, politicians are considering
00:01:56banning payments by couples.
00:02:03We will delve into the details
00:02:04of this issue.
00:02:07This is Kossuth Square in Budapest, directly opposite
00:02:11the Hungarian Parliament, where on April 9,
00:02:14thousands gathered to celebrate a rare political
00:02:18event in Europe today. Viktor
00:02:21Orbán had the longest term as prime minister in the
00:02:25European Union, and over 16 years, he built a political
00:02:29system around himself. To maintain power, he changed
00:02:32the face of democracy. For this reason, the results of the April
00:02:35elections, with an exceptionally high turnout of 80%, surprised
00:02:39many. Péter Magyar, the new prime minister
00:02:42of Hungary, has stated that he will dismantle the system
00:02:46Orbán built and has promised that democracy will be
00:02:48restored. We will ensure
00:02:52through a review of the Hungarian
00:02:54constitution that the concentration
00:02:58of power on the scale we witnessed
00:03:02in the past will never occur
00:03:05in this country.
00:03:08How was Péter Magyar able to achieve such a stunning
00:03:12victory? And what does the defeat of Viktor Orbán, a close ally
00:03:16of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, who for years has been a thorn in the side of the European Union
00:03:19and Ukraine, mean for Europe and the world? To
00:03:23understand the widespread dominance of Viktor Orbán and the Fidesz
00:03:27party over Hungarian institutions, with
00:03:36For the past five years, since the COVID pandemic, a state
00:03:40of emergency was in effect, meaning they could suspend the enforcement
00:03:43of laws and even pass new laws without parliamentary
00:03:46intervention. The massive propaganda
00:03:49apparatus of the Fidesz party also played a significant
00:03:53role in maintaining power. Viktor Orbán also used his powers
00:03:57to allocate funds to solidify his dominance across the
00:04:00country. Government budgets and EU funds were distributed
00:04:04among cities based on their support for Fidesz, meaning
00:04:07mayors who supported Fidesz received funding for their
00:04:11cities. Even at the local level, these mayors only granted access
00:04:15to the state employment program to those who voted
00:04:18for the party. Orbán's populism was welcomed by ordinary
00:04:21Hungarians. It should not be forgotten that Orbán's government was truly
00:04:25popular in its early days. For example, it significantly
00:04:29increased employment.
00:05:12and a new political coalition was formed. This is
00:05:16the headquarters of Partizán, one of the most influential
00:05:19political YouTube channels in Hungary. A media
00:05:22outlet that was once among the few platforms not controlled
00:05:25by Orbán. In 2024, Partizán published an interview
00:05:29that became highly controversial online. This interview was with
00:05:33an influential figure in the political structure who had left Orbán's
00:05:37party due to concerns about corruption. That politician was Péter
00:05:39Magyar. A system can collapse very
00:05:42quickly, within a few weeks, or even in a few
00:05:46moments. Magyar became a prominent figure overnight and within
00:05:50two years, he was able to oust Viktor Orbán from power. I asked
00:05:53the political editor of Partizán how Péter Magyar and his
00:05:57party, Tisza, managed to achieve this success. The interesting
00:06:01lesson to be learned from this election is that their victory was not
00:06:04due to the mobilization of this or that particular social
00:06:08group, but rather they were able to form a much broader
00:06:11coalition than anyone expected. I think during Péter
00:06:15Magyar's election campaign, he visited hundreds of cities, including small
00:06:18towns whose residents were not accustomed to politicians
00:06:21paying attention to them. The second point is that his messages
00:06:25revolved around issues that were not particularly
00:06:28controversial culturally. He focused on issues where his
00:06:32stance aligned with the stance of the overwhelming majority
00:06:35of Hungarians, who are a conservative society. But after
00:06:39the initial excitement,
00:06:42it's time to face reality, and the main challenge begins: dismantling a system
00:06:46built to maintain power. Regarding
00:06:50the remaining former elite, we see signs
00:06:53of a fundamental change. Mr. Orbán's media system
00:06:57is collapsing with unexpected speed.
00:07:00So here too, we are witnessing a fundamental change.
00:07:03And here, a more important question arises: Can
00:07:06Hungary, once a symbol of the growing wave of conservative populism,
00:07:10now be a turning point?
00:07:19where a new self-appointed movement has emerged across the country,
00:07:23accelerating the trend towards nationalism and control. They call
00:07:26themselves Rusich Obshchina and are accused of creating
00:07:30fear and intimidation, targeting those they call enemies of
00:07:34Russia. Members of this group say they defend public
00:07:38order and support the war, but critics warn that they are self-appointed
00:07:41enforcers.
00:08:12It attracted different people, but now I'm forced to
00:08:16stop my activities.
00:08:19Katya
00:08:22celebrated her 30th birthday with a themed party. The
00:08:25essence of the party was her special dress and
00:08:28mood. I made a poster that said
00:08:32"themed party." I only
00:08:35posted it in a private group.
00:08:38Just
00:08:44as I was about to blow out the candles, some people
00:08:48who weren't invited forced
00:08:51their way into my private party. At first
00:08:54I thought it was a joke. Then I realized something
00:08:58terrible was happening. The sound
00:09:00of fighting and brawling came from every
00:09:04direction. They hit my friend on the head with a rifle
00:09:07butt. They punched a girl and threw
00:09:11her to the ground. She was crying loudly.
00:09:15It was a very bad situation. Alongside
00:09:18police forces, masked men with Rusich Obshchina insignia
00:09:22forcibly entered the premises. They forced the guests
00:09:25to show their passports and took their pictures.
00:09:29Right then I realized that these weren't police
00:09:32officers. They didn't have proper uniforms
00:09:35or anything. They were just ordinary people.
00:09:38My friend was filming.
00:10:25I have no choice. I am a problematic person
00:10:28and people like me should leave
00:10:32the country.
00:10:32Simultaneously with the start of
00:10:42Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which he claimed
00:10:46was aimed at denazifying the country, developments that
00:10:50had already begun in Russia accelerated.
00:10:53We must stand against ideas that are
00:10:57imposed on our citizens, especially the youth, and threaten
00:11:00our values. Patriotic education, a war
00:11:04economy, and the suppression of dissent have become
00:11:06part of daily life.
00:11:09Russia, Russia,
00:11:17Russia, Russia. Putin increasingly
00:11:20championed an image of Russia rooted in the
00:11:24past and called for a return
00:11:27to traditional values. Across
00:11:31the country, nationalist movements also emerged,
00:11:34following his lead.
00:11:46Activists of these groups say they help maintain public
00:11:49order, support war efforts, and seek
00:11:53to revive Russian identity.
00:11:56Critics say some of these groups provide
00:12:00cover for extremist activities and intimidation.
00:12:03Rusich Obshchina, or the Russian Community, is
00:12:06by far the largest of these groups.
00:12:10This group now has nearly 150 branches
00:12:14across Russia and the occupied territories.
00:12:16Rusich Obshchina is an informal group of Russians
00:12:20who have gathered to support each other. Our focus
00:12:23is on helping the community and keeping
00:12:27our cultural traditions
00:12:28and identity alive.
00:12:31We are everywhere. Just look around you. If you see
00:12:35a Russian, it might be one of us. This group
00:12:38recruits through its extensive network of social media
00:12:42channels. These channels promote Russian
00:12:45identity, the war, and intimidating actions against
00:12:49those they believe undermine their values.
00:12:52People are
00:14:04tired of all this chaos. People see that the police
00:14:08can't handle the situation and want to help the community
00:14:12and the government to keep the streets safe.
00:14:15This means resistance
00:14:18against foreign
00:14:19influence.
00:14:25Rusich Obshchina mobilizes its thousands of followers
00:14:29on Telegram and asks them to take action in their neighborhoods.
00:14:32These actions often begin with followers
00:14:35reporting suspicious activities in group chats. Then,
00:14:39members of Rusich Obshchina,
00:14:43either with law enforcement or alone, arrive
00:14:46at the scene and confront the individuals they have
00:14:49targeted. Some actions are also pre-planned, including
00:14:52raids on construction sites, dormitories, shops,
00:14:55and nightclubs. Members
00:14:59publish videos of these actions
00:15:02to encourage others to take similar actions.
00:15:06Some of these posts have been viewed
00:15:09hundreds of thousands of times. To understand the scale of this group's activities,
00:15:13BBC Eye has reviewed over 21,000 posts
00:15:16published on their main public Telegram channels and
00:15:20confirms that activists of this group have carried out over
00:15:23900 raids. Of these, over 300
00:15:27were carried out with the assistance of law enforcement.
00:15:30The actual number is likely higher
00:15:32than these figures.
00:15:36One month after the raid on Katya's party, she was prosecuted
00:15:39on charges of insulting religious feelings, a criminal
00:15:43offense that can carry up to 3 years in
00:15:45prison.
00:15:48The basis of the accusation was that members of Rusich
00:15:52Obshchina claimed they were offended by a red neon
00:15:56cross. They said that as religious individuals, their
00:16:00feelings were hurt.
00:16:02The court
00:16:05documents related to this case were reviewed.
00:16:08Witnesses claimed that she insulted the feelings of Orthodox
00:16:12believers.
00:16:13In my
00:16:16opinion, the people of Rusich Obshchina created
00:16:19the situation themselves so they could then claim
00:16:23they were insulted. You know, if
00:16:26they hadn't attacked my party, they wouldn't
00:16:29have seen anything to be offended
00:16:32by, and there would have been no
00:16:35excuse for punishment.
00:16:45In court, I looked into the eyes of the
00:16:48witnesses and hoped that a spark of humanity
00:16:51would awaken within them, and they would understand
00:16:55what they were doing. One of Katya's friends recorded
00:16:59her last words in court. I
00:17:02do not accept the accusation. The witnesses
00:17:05who lied must be held accountable.
00:17:15It is highly likely that the Kremlin is aware of Rusich
00:17:18Obshchina's activities
00:17:26and is currently allowing them to continue. If not, they would
00:17:30have been shut down by now. This is how it works:
00:17:33anything they don't want, they ban.
00:17:36It's that simple. At
00:17:39the group's annual ceremony to commemorate Russian
00:17:43traditions, influential and powerful figures, as well
00:17:46as controversial individuals, are present in the front
00:17:50row, including the Metropolitan, an influential figure in the Orthodox
00:17:53Church and a staunch opponent of immigration. After
00:17:56his public support for this group, the Orthodox Church
00:18:00ordered all its bishops in Russia to cooperate with the
00:18:03local branches of this group, an action that brought
00:18:07Rusich Obshchina even closer to official institutions. Rusich
00:18:10Obshchina presents itself as a grassroots movement originating
00:18:14from within society. No oligarchs are behind
00:18:18us. Let them say what they want. No one funds
00:18:20us.
00:18:23However, financial documents seen by the BBC show
00:18:26that this group receives money from anonymous
00:18:29charities. One of these foundations belongs to Sergey
00:18:33Mikheev, who became famous for his controversial statements
00:18:37on television. He is reported to have close ties with the Kremlin
00:18:40and also carries out missions for Russian intelligence
00:18:44agencies abroad. Another regular funder
00:18:48of this group is a foundation controlled by Igor
00:18:51Khododomo, an isolated billionaire and one of Russia's
00:18:54largest landowners.
00:19:07Well, I was sentenced to 20 hours
00:19:11of community service.
00:19:14One feels a sense of defeat. I experienced
00:19:18a very bad
00:19:19feeling.
00:19:25The BBC has interviewed a number of supporters of
00:19:29Rusich Obshchina, who explained how the groups of this movement
00:19:32are mobilized alongside government institutions. In contrast, critics
00:19:36say the group's online content exaggerates the true
00:19:40extent of their activities. We also spoke with many victims
00:19:44who, out of fear, were unwilling to speak on camera and spoke
00:19:47of hostility and intimidation that casts a shadow over daily
00:19:51life. How long this movement will last depends
00:19:55on the ruling regime. However, their ideas and views
00:19:58continue to spread.
00:20:00Ukraine has long been one of the main centers
00:20:04of surrogacy in the world. And the low
00:20:07cost and relatively easy laws in this
00:20:11area have attracted applicants from various countries to Ukraine.
00:20:14Even after the start of the full-scale Russian
00:20:18invasion, this industry has continued, and fertility clinics have adapted
00:20:21to wartime conditions. However, Ukraine's role in this industry
00:20:25has not been without controversy. The Ukrainian parliament is
00:20:28now considering a new law that could prohibit foreigners
00:20:32from using surrogacy in the country, an action that could have
00:20:36worldwide repercussions. Yuliya Bates, a BBC
00:20:40global health correspondent,
00:20:40reports.
00:20:46Today is a beautiful day. The sky
00:20:49is blue. The sun is shining, and we are very excited
00:20:52because we are going to see our baby.
00:20:56Elena and Igor have entered Ukrainian territory. A country
00:21:00that has been severely damaged by four years of war.
00:21:03They have driven almost 2,000 kilometers from Macedonia
00:21:07to Ukraine. I am very afraid to come here. Everything
00:21:10I see on the news, you know, it's war here. We
00:21:14want to have children. We are willing to do anything
00:21:17to have children. If necessary.
00:21:23This was not an easy decision. For nine years, with several
00:21:27rounds of IVF and surgery, they tried to have children.
00:21:31Surrogacy was their last resort. Ukraine offers
00:21:35something that few countries have: a tested
00:21:38and well-established legal system specifically
00:21:42for surrogacy. Now, after nine months, they are meeting
00:21:46their son for the first time. For a moment, with
00:22:02himself. This was the best thing that
00:22:06ever happened in our
00:22:07lives.
00:22:11Elena and Igor are not alone. Every year, thousands
00:22:15travel to Ukraine for surrogacy, even with the start
00:22:18of the invasion.
00:22:34When Karina was 17, her home in Bakhmut was destroyed
00:22:38in a Russian attack, and she became homeless.
00:22:41We had reached a point where we were counting pennies
00:22:45to buy formula and diapers for the baby. That's
00:22:48when I told myself,
00:22:58it's not mine, but I still love it. I talk to it when it
00:23:02kicks. I talk to it.
00:23:05Critics say cases like Karina's raise difficult
00:23:08questions. Surrogacy clinics openly stated
00:23:11that they target poor women. Now that the war
00:23:15continues, the number of poor women is increasing.
00:23:19Desperate and penniless women who have lost their
00:23:22jobs and sources of income want to survive and provide
00:23:26for their families, and surrogacy clinics offer them this
00:23:29opportunity because Western couples want to have children
00:23:33at a low cost. I am egg
00:23:37donor number 433. Surrogacy clinics do
00:23:40not share this view. They say
00:23:44they provide an opportunity for women to help others
00:23:47have children legally and.
00:24:20In many cases, applicants travel to Ukraine with a delay
00:24:23to pick up their babies. Some clinics even have special
00:24:27rooms for these
00:24:29babies.
00:24:35Just now we heard the air raid siren.
00:24:39This means all the babies are being
00:24:42taken to the basement to be safe. It is in such
00:24:46a tense and dangerous environment that applicants
00:24:50sometimes leave their babies in Ukraine for a while.
00:24:53But this situation may soon change.
00:24:57The Ukrainian parliament is considering a new law that could
00:25:00prohibit foreign parents from using surrogacy,
00:25:04effectively ending the activity of one of the world's
00:25:07largest surrogacy markets. The bill's goal
00:25:11is to have clear regulations for this field,
00:25:14because currently, there is practically nothing.
00:25:16For many couples in.
00:26:22has a famous saying. He says that all politics is local,
00:26:26meaning that before reaching the streets of Washington, those
00:26:30who want to enter Congress must pay attention to the demands
00:26:33of the local people, who will choose only one of the candidates.
00:26:37Welcome to the US Elections Podcast
00:26:40from BBC Persian Television and on online platforms.
00:27:20Do you want to know how much your food and drink expenses
00:27:24have increased? How much food inflation your family
00:27:27feels? Just go to
00:27:29BBCpersian.com/food and enter the items
00:27:33you usually buy. For example, one kilogram
00:27:36of Iranian rice for guests, four kilograms
00:27:40of rice for ourselves, one kilogram of lamb, one kilogram
00:27:42of beef,
00:27:45one pack of foreign tea, and click the calculate
00:27:48button. The calculator will show the national and provincial
00:27:52average cost of your basket last month, its price
00:27:56a year ago, and the increase in its cost. It will
00:27:59calculate the food inflation rate for your family.
00:28:03You can also compare this with the official inflation
00:28:07rate. Is your
00:28:09basket's inflation higher than all food
00:28:13items? The food inflation calculator on
00:28:17our website, BBCpersian.com/food.
00:30:20Headlines.
00:30:21The collapse
00:30:26of Republican strongholds against a tsunami of anti-Trump
00:30:30sentiment. Democrats won both houses
00:30:33of Congress in the midterm elections.
00:30:36Trump
00:30:43and Vance concede the war's impact on Republican
00:30:46defeat. The US President, however, still defends
00:30:50the decision to attack
00:30:51Iran.
00:30:55Well, I think this statement is largely correct, because the