Fidesz MEPs to back EU defence facility

The statement published on Monday, after an EP discussion on the report on setting up the facility, said: “The new facility is key to strengthening European defence industry and capacity, weakened by failed leftist-liberal policies, and so our group supports the initiative.”

Group leader Kinga Gal said the Ukrainian war had highlighted that strengthening European defence industry and infrastructure was long overdue. That is in Europe’s fundamental interest, she said.

“The European Union can only face escalating security challenges with globally competitive defence and military capabilities,” Gal said. The facility will offer an opportunity to improve responsiveness and production capacities through the cooperation of member states, she said. “All that is key to lasting peace and long-term stability.”

MEP Andras Gyurk said the new facility could create value-added when the European defence industry was “brought back on its feet”. “The war in a neighbouring country has shown the strategic failure of the leftist-liberal defence policy aimed at dismantling the defence industry.

To ensure the security of EU citizens, the most critical deficiencies of the defence industry should be addressed at lightning speed. That warrants the cooperation of European countries as well as strong national defence industry programmes, and the facility can contribute to that. Besides, the new act may help defence investments in central Europe and in Hungary,” he said.

The EP is scheduled to vote on the report on setting up the EDIRPA on Tuesday.