Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban offered a retrospective "interpretation" of his controversial speech on March 15, in which he referred to political opponents, judges, journalists and civil activists as bedbugs, causing widespread outrage.

In a speech on a national holiday celebrating the 177th anniversary of the revolution against the Habsburgs, Hungary's veteran leader portrayed his political adversaries as foreign-backed "Brussels lackeys" who must be "swept away" in a "spring cleaning." His remarks triggered broad criticism from civil society groups, opposition politicians and even fans from a renowned Budapest-based sports club.

Observers remarked that the prime minister had overstepped a red line with incendiary remarks, which could be seen as thinly veiled threats against government critics. They also noted that his combative rhetoric was unworthy of the 1848 heroes, who had fought for a modern, liberal and independent Hungary.

Posting on social media on Monday morning, the PM wrote: "Why a bug? Because he wiretapped his wife. If he hadn't, he wouldn't be called that".

Without saying his name, Orban referred to opposition leader Peter Magyar, who has been labelled a bug by pro-government media. Since stepping out to the public and launching his party, Magyar has faced constant slander campaigns, which have intensified after he released a two-minute recording of then Justice Minister Judit Varga, who on the tape explained how Cabinet Minister Antal Rogan reportedly tampered with evidence in a corruption case involving Varga's subordinate, former state secretary of the Justice Ministry at the time.

Orban's revised explanation stands in contrast to the original speech, where he used the term bugs in the plural and about a broader group of people, while including judges and journalists, and NGOs but in his latest comments, he appeared to backtrack on his remarks.

The prime minister in the past has avoided explicitly attacking his opponents, "outsourcing" harsher rhetoric to pro-government media figures. His decision to personally use the term "bugs" signals a shift in his communication strategy, writes former editor-in-chief of Index.hu Szabolcs Dull.

The remark was likely aimed at rallying Fidesz supporters ahead of a legislative push targeting organisations accused of foreign influence. It reinforced the government's framing of opposition figures as threats to national sovereignty.

Reacting on social media, Peter Magyar dismissed Orban's attempt to clarify his controversial remarks, accusing the prime minister of comparing most of the nation to "crushable insects." Magyar further claimed that Orban is "hiding in panic" in fear, while he is using division as a political tool to pit Hungarians against each other.

Peter Marki-Zay, the joint prime minister candidate of the opposition in the 2022 election, said his party would file a legal complaint for hate speech, saying Orban's words echoed "the darkest periods in history". 

The prime minister's comments were widely denounced by other opposition politicians and intellectuals as dehumanising and cruel.

Hungary's National Judicial Council (OBT), the self-governing body of judges, which oversees the central administration of the courts also denounced the bug analogy. It also rejected the unsubstantiated claim that members of the judiciary had been "bought with corrupt dollars," labelling it an attempt to discredit the judiciary. 

Supporters of MTK Budapest, with deep historical ties to Hungary's Jewish community, called Orban's analogy dehumanising, warning that such rhetoric has led to tragic consequences in the country's history.

President of MTK, Fidesz MEP Tamas Deutsch did not comment, instead, he shared the prime minister's Facebook post.