Baile Tusnad, Romania, 23 July 2022 (dpa/MIA) — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban used an annual forum in Romania to lash out at Western allies, whom he claimed are trying to impose foreign values on his country, and criticize EU and US strategy on Ukraine. "The strength, the performance, the prestige and the capacity to act of Western civilization are on the wane," the right-wing and Moscow-friendly politician told thousands of supporters in the Romanian resort town of Baile Tusnad on Saturday. Orban described himself as a defender of Hungary's cultural and political identity from bureaucrats in "Brussels." In a familiar refrain, he peddled the conspiracy theory that the Hungarian-US billionaire philanthropist and investor George Soros was actually the one setting European policy. Soros, a Holocaust survivor and pro-democracy champion, is frequently cast as a far-left bogeyman by Orban. The vilification of Soros has been widely denounced as anti-Semitic. "They should live as they want, but they should also let us live as we want," Orban demanded, alluding to an EU infringement case over a Hungarian law restricting restricting access to information on LGBTQ issues. Orban also touched on the war in Ukraine, criticizing the West for ignoring Russia's security concerns before Moscow invaded. "With US president (Donald) Trump and German chancellor (Angela) Merkel, this war would never have happened," he said, apparently guided by the assessment that these politicians - like him - would have stood for more Russia-friendly policies. Romanian nationalists tried to disrupt Orban's speech as he began to talk, chanting "Transylvania will remain Romanian soil forever!" before Romanian police led them away. Baile Tusnad is located in a small ethnic Hungarian settlement in Transylvania. Until 1918, the region had belonged to Hungary. The Fidesz political party has held a summer academy in Baile Tusnad for more than three decades. Orban, who is a Fidesz co-founder, traditionally gives the closing speech there. Orban has led Hungary since 2010. He won a fourth consecutive terms in April. Hungary has been hit by a range of legal action from the European Commission. Budapest could become the first EU member state to face a potential cut in EU funding due to rule-of-law violations after the commission triggered a legal mechanism to safeguard the EU budget.