Justice Minister: ‘We want a democracy of equal nations’ in Europe

Taking part in a roundtable discussion entitled “Hungary in the midst of European challenges”, Varga said European conservatives who believe in a Europe of sovereign nations had a chance of changing the composition of the European Parliament in the 2024 EP elections.

The minister said Brussels had tried to force the views of internationally funded NGOs on Hungary, and the European Commission outsourced European democracy to such NGOs.

“Our task is to highlight this everywhere in the run-up to the elections,” she said.

In Hungary, she added, there was a direct link between the legislature and the people through the National Consultation public surveys. Brussels, however, was only interested in whether an issue chimed with the views of large international NGOs.

The rule-of-law procedure against Hungary, she said, was a “bureaucratic quagmire” which “we have to wade through”.

Varga referred to “double standards” and “the increasing number of [EC] demands”, adding that Hungary had nevertheless managed to “maintain our anti-immigration position for eight years”, and the world had taken note and was adopting Hungary’s standpoint on migration.

Noting “attacks” against Hungary’s law on child protection, Varga said Hungary had been accused of “violating freedom of services” by barring the provision of information related to gender LGBTQ in schools.

The procedure, she added, was politicised. “We hit a nerve, but we won’t let them have a say” when it comes to the concept of family, Varga said.