Empires, Agents and Other Truths: Orwell would have loved it

One could almost believe that this is a rather unoriginal law of nature: the closer a government leans towards Moscow, the louder its cries become about “imperial Brussels”, the “moral decadence” of Europe or the alleged “double standards” of the West.

But anyone who takes the trouble to really listen – and, more importantly, to compare texts and speeches from Hungary, Romania, Moldova or Georgia – will recognize patterns that are difficult to explain as coincidence.

It's a political play, rehearsed in Budapest, adapted in Bucharest, perfected in Chișinău, and taken to caricature in Tbilisi. Always with the same roles: the benevolent national leader, the threatened fatherland, and the evil colonial master from Brussels.

However, the direction seems to be coming from another capital city. And that capital—spoiler alert—isn't in the EU.

“War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.”

George Orwell – 1984 (Project Gutenberg Australia)

This famous phrase perfectly describes what we are seeing here: Brussels, which transfers billions in subsidies, is declared an "empire." A law copied from Moscow is sold as "protecting sovereignty." Criticism of corruption is reinterpreted as "blackmail."

It is not a coincidence, but a deliberate reversal of the terms – a language that is not meant to enlighten, but rather to demand loyalty.

“If thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.”

This warning from Orwell is more relevant than ever. Those who systematically brand Brussels as an occupier and denounce any criticism from Europe as interference or blackmail are not engaging in normal political debate. They are destroying thought itself by forcing it into rigid enemy stereotypes.

The irony could almost be comical if it weren't so successful. While Hungary's government demonizes the EU as an empire and simultaneously collects record amounts of money, Georgia's government is selling Moscow-stolen laws as a national liberation.

Anyone who believes these are isolated cases will be disappointed. These narratives are not only identical—they are structurally linked, financially supported, and cultivated with the same tools.

It's time to take this apart.

Brussels as an “imperial power” – the favorite motif

Let us begin with the oldest and simplest propaganda building block: Europe as oppressor.

Viktor Orbán perfected this spin. On October 23, 2023, during the nationalist staging of the 1956 Hungarian uprising, he unperturbedly declared:

"We will not become part of a European empire." Source: Telex.hu

This is not just rhetoric for the domestic stage, but part of a strategy that has been built up over the years to frame Brussels as an occupying power.

Orbán speaks not only of "empire" but also of "Brussels bureaucrats" as occupiers. It's as if the EU armored division were standing outside Budapest – while at the same time record amounts from Brussels are financing Hungary's highways, schools, and agriculture.

But things sound surprisingly similar elsewhere in the EU.

Romania’s then PSD leader Liviu Dragnea complained in 2018:

"The EU Commission wants to bend Romania." Reuters, June 28, 2018

Here, too, Brussels is portrayed not as a partner, but as a colonial master. It's no longer about a community of values or cohesion policy – but rather the narrative of a foreign power that oppresses and disenfranchises "our people."

This sounds hardly any different in Romanian than in Hungarian – and both versions sound suspiciously familiar to anyone who deals with Russian state media.

Moldova: The Teachings of Dodon

The same framing became state doctrine in Moldova under President Igor Dodon. In 2020, he warned the population:

“We don't want to be an EU protectorate.” Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

It's noteworthy that Dodon didn't simply reject the EU, but explicitly branded it a colonial power. In keeping with Russian narratives that portray any European rapprochement as a threat to "true sovereignty."

Georgia – the newest member of the “concerned” club

And what about Georgia?

In 2024, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze declared in all seriousness that the EU's criticism of his so-called spy law was nothing but "blackmail" - Reuters, 03.05.2024

The law, which was copied from Russia of all places, is intended to brand Western NGOs as "foreign agents." Anyone who believes this is an original Georgian idea probably also believes in the independence of the country's judiciary.

But why be ashamed? If you can copy Orbán, Dodon, and the rest, you're ultimately saving on your own propaganda budget.

Anti-LGBT rhetoric: Moral decadence as an enemy image

The second pillar of the Moscow blueprint: The EU as a promoter of “immoral values”.

Hungary has done more pioneering work in this area than any other EU country. The 2017/2018 anti-Soros campaign became legendary with the slogan:

“Let’s not let him have the last laugh!” BBC News

The poster campaign used anti-Semitic codes and created an image of the evil, liberal puppet master who wanted to “flood” Hungary with migrants and gender ideology.

The pattern continued in Orbán's "Child Protection Law," which virtually banned LGBT content for minors—and which he proudly presented as a bulwark against "Western decadence."

Romania quickly followed suit. The AUR party, founded in 2019, made anti-LGBT agitation one of its trademarks. Balkan Insight aptly describes it as a mixture of nationalism, Orthodoxy, and anti-liberalism - Balkan Insight, December 8, 2020

AUR's official party program openly boasts of defending the "traditional family" and Romanian culture against "globalism."

Particularly bizarre is the claim that the EU is forcing Romania to abandon its values – while Brussels has been financing the largest infrastructure and regional development program Romania has ever seen for years.

Moldova and the Orthodox Church

Anti-LGBT rhetoric is also standard in Moldova.

The country's Orthodox Church has been fighting anti-discrimination laws for years, portraying Brussels as a corrupter of Orthodox values - Balkaninsight

This religious instrumentalization is a proven Russian export. After all, Moscow Patriarch Kirill himself declared homosexuality the "apocalypse of humanity," thus promoting an alliance against the liberal West.

Georgia: “Protection of tradition” as a pretext

Georgia is not left behind either.

The ruling Georgian Dream party and its supporting media regularly warn that Brussels is imposing “foreign values” and seeking to destroy Orthodox tradition.

EUvsDisinfo has documented numerous of these narratives. A typical example:

“The death of Georgia's statehood … protecting LGBT rights first” EUvsDisinfo

The strategy is always the same: the EU is not portrayed as a partner, but as a moral invader that wants to destroy Georgian identity.

Double standards – the favorite argument of all autocrats

Let us come to the third, no less popular narrative: the complaint about the EU’s “double standards”.

Viktor Orbán has been using this as a rhetorical all-purpose knife for years. In 2022, he declared – once again indignantly – that Brussels wanted to "punish" Hungary simply because it was not allowing migrants in or rejecting LGBTQ "propaganda" - Euronews, 9 September 2022

In this portrayal, the EU appears as a bigoted censor harassing a conservative nation – the same EU, mind you, that transfers billions to Orbán every year.

In Romania, the tone was hardly different in 2018. PSD leader Dragnea was outraged that Brussels was urging Romania to fight corruption while allegedly ignoring Western scandals. Here, too, the spin was: The EU was selectively abusing its power to make Eastern European countries compliant - Reuters, June 28, 2018

This outrage over "double standards" is, of course, not entirely unfounded—corruption also exists in Western Europe. But it is not addressed here to solve the problem, but rather to ward off any pressure for reform.

In Moldova, the Șor party in particular exploited this narrative. While Brussels demanded reforms, Șor complained of unfair treatment - IPN News Agency, 2021–2022, Sample Report

They protested against judicial reforms – under the banner of "double standards" and "interference with sovereignty." However, those who looked closely saw less a patriotic popular movement than a well-funded pro-Russian PR operation.

Georgia: The Art of Political Martyrdom

Georgia’s government also loves to complain about “double standards.”

In 2025, Georgia's Freedom House ranking deteriorated again, primarily due to restrictions on press freedom and judicial independence - Freedom House 2025 – Georgia

The reaction from Tbilisi? Not self-criticism. Instead, it was claimed that the West wanted to politically punish Georgia because it was "independent."

The subtext is clear: anyone who criticizes the West is patriotic; anyone who points out grievances is a traitor.

Sanctions against Russia: Who is shooting themselves in the lungs?

A particularly transparent but effective narrative: Sanctions against Russia are “self-destructive” and must be lifted.

In 2022, Orbán stated:

"The EU has shot itself in the lung." Reuters, 26.09.2022

The implication: It's not Russia's tanks in Ukraine that are the problem, but Brussels' sanctions. A brilliant spin, if you happen to be getting Russian gas at discount prices.

Moldova: Fear of “Ukrainization”

A similar campaign is underway in Moldova.

Pro-Russian parties and media regularly warn that the EU wants to drag Moldova into war against Russia.

In 2022/23, PSRM and the Șor Party organized demonstrations with posters against an alleged "Ukrainization" of Moldova - Balkan Insight, 28.02.2023

The calculation: to stir up fears of war, portray the West as an aggressor and present Russia as a force for peace.

Georgia: The second front

Georgian Dream acts even more shamelessly.

In 2024, party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili warned of a Western "Global War Party" that wanted to make Georgia a "second front" against Russia - RFE/RL

So you present yourself as a neutral peacekeeping force that saves the country from a major war.

Georgia has long been a victim of Russian occupation: 20 percent of its territory has been under Russian control since 2008.

Propaganda could hardly be more ironic.

“Traditional values” as a last lifeline

Another link between these states: the appeal to “tradition”.

The slogan means the same thing in all cases: no LGBT rights, no gender politics, no Western liberalization.

Hungary? Has sold the "Child Protection Act" as a bulwark. Romania? AUR openly promotes the defense of the "Christian family." Moldova? The Orthodox Church is mobilizing against anti-discrimination laws. Georgia? Warnings about the destruction of Orthodox values are a must in government statements.

This line isn't original—it's a Russian export hit. Patriarch Kirill himself has propagated it worldwide as a cultural counteroffensive.

He who pays commands: Moscow's investments

And the similarities are not only visible in words.

Hungary's government received fresh capital from Russian banks (e.g., VTB) in 2023. Moldova's Șor party is closely linked to Kremlin-affiliated money; Ilan Șor himself fled to Israel to escape prosecution—and visited Moscow in 2022.

In Georgia, massive investments are made through shell companies and foundations that are difficult to trace.

Western intelligence agencies, such as those from Slovakia or the Czech Republic, regularly warn of Russian party financing in Eastern Europe - CEPA report "Mapping Kremlin Proxies in CEE"

PACE and the Council of Europe: Votes speak volumes

Perhaps the clearest indication of aligned loyalties is voting on the European stage.

In 2025, the Council of Europe voted on a special tribunal against Russia. The result: Hungary voted openly against, while Georgia abstained. - Netgazeti, June 25, 2025

While Ukrainian MP Goncharenko rightly asked in horror how a country partially occupied by Russia could block a tribunal against Moscow, the Georgian government remained silent.

“Abstaining is also a position.”

Orthodox Church as a propaganda multiplier

One cannot understand this spin without considering the role of the churches.

In Moldova, the Metropolitanate railed against anti-discrimination laws for years, portraying them not as a matter of modern constitutionality, but as a "battle against God" and the "preservation of Orthodox identity."

Orthodoxy thus becomes a geopolitical weapon.

The Moscow Patriarchate plays a crucial role in this strategy. Patriarch Kirill himself has branded homosexuality a "sin that brings about the downfall of civilization."

In Georgia, the Orthodox Church has traditionally been closely intertwined with Russia. Patriarch Ilia II often speaks neutrally or even favorably about the Russian Church—despite the fact that Russia occupies 20% of the country.

This allows for a particularly perfidious line of argument: the EU is branded as a moral threat, while Russia, despite its troop presence, is portrayed as a defender of Christian values.

Same script, different stage

One might now say: “But these are all different countries! Different contexts!”

True. But let's listen carefully:

• “Brussels is an empire.” – Orbán 2023

• “We don’t want an EU protectorate.” – Dodon 2020

• “The EU wants to bend Romania.” – Dragnea 2018

• “Criticism of the EU is blackmail.” – Kobachidze 2024

These aren't coincidental parallels. This is semantically aligned propaganda.

The same applies to the moral part:

• “Child Protection Against LGBT Propaganda” – Hungary

• “Traditional Family Against Globalism” – Romania (AUR)

• “Protection of Orthodox values” – Moldova

• “Preservation of the Orthodox Tradition” – Georgia

The goal is always the same: to stir up fear of loss of identity and to discredit any criticism of one's own power apparatus as a Western conspiracy.

Media as a weapon

Media support is running in parallel:

In Moldova, pro-Russian television stations and YouTube channels spread the narratives from Moscow almost word for word.

Hungary is in no way inferior in this regard: While independent media are harassed, government-affiliated outlets faithfully spread Fidesz's line – including pro-Russian positions on sanctions and the war in Ukraine.

Finally, Georgia is experiencing a wave of pro-government television channels that, with dramatic music and alarmist graphics, declare every NGO activist an enemy agent. The mechanics are identical everywhere.