Magyar: ‘Taking country back’ from government is Tisza’s priority

Speaking at a press conference after the European People’s Party voted to admit Tisza into its European parliamentary group, Magyar said he would manage his party’s work aimed at bringing about change in Hungary from Budapest, adding he would provide more details on this later on Tuesday.

He said people were “fed up with corruption, the lies and the propaganda”, so Hungary had to be taken back from the government “step by step, day by day”.

Concerning Tisza’s admission to the EPP’s group, Magyar said he was proud that the party would be joining the EP’s largest group where they would be able “to really represent” the interests of the Hungarian people.

He vowed that Tisza would work with the EU within the EPP “in a constructive manner”. He said the EP needed to apply a new approach to Hungary, adding that one of Tisza’s priorities would be to close the Article 7 procedure and the rule-of-law procedure against Hungary.

Magyar said Tisza’s MEPs would take part in the work of committees which were important to Hungarians, mentioning the issues of energy, environmental protection, competitiveness and agriculture as examples. He said they would also work to help Hungary gain access to its frozen EU funds in the coming five-year term.

Asked about the war in Ukraine, Magyar said Tisza’s stance was that Russian President Vladimir Putin was the aggressor and Ukraine the victim. He said Ukraine and its people had a right to defend their territory. Magyar said his party agreed with the government’s position that Hungary would send neither troops nor weapons to Ukraine. He added that the EPP had understood Hungary’s “uniquely sensitive” situation, keeping in mind the interests of the ethnic Hungarian community in Ukraine.