Orbán: ‘We will win EP election’

“Brussels needs change,” Orbán said, adding that Hungary would be punished under the European Union’s new migration pact unless the country was willing to accommodate migrants. He said the war in Ukraine would not end soon, while an increasing burden was weighing on Europe in the wake of diminishing US aid to Ukraine. “There is a huge political price for assisting Ukraine … farmers are protesting across Europe and soon nobody will believe in Ukraine’s victory,” Orbán said.

Concerning Hungary’s opposition, Orbán said the leftist parties “represent Brussels in Hungary rather than representing Hungary in Brussels … they are mercenaries.”

The prime minister touched on the recent resignations of President Katalin Novak and former justice minister Judit Varga, saying their decisions had been “correct”. “The resignations will strengthen us … it has been made clear to everybody that on the national side there is no pardon in child protection cases.” The daily also quoted Orbán as saying that the resignations “weren’t triggered by some problem but simply a mistake … nobody can be clever enough on their own, even in the highest positions”.

According to the paper, Orbán concluded his speech by assessing the upcoming elections and tasks ahead. He said the government had struck an agreement with the EU concerning community funding and had raised the salaries of teachers and kindergarten staff. It has reached an agreement concerning wage rises in other sectors, paid a 13th month pension to the elderly and reined in inflation.

Concerning the European elections, Orbán said the international environment could change a lot in 2024, and the government would “sail against dead wind”, adding, however, that they could “benefit from international dead wind in our sails”. He said he hoped both Brussels and Washington would see changes and “the European parliamentary and US presidential elections could at last bring hope to Europe”.

“In nine months’ time we will be stronger than we are now … it is worth working because each EP mandate will add to the joint force that will help us in the 2026 national election,” Orbán said.