Orbán said Hungary had ended a four-year period of successful governance, signalled by the country emerging from the excessive deficit procedure launched against it by the EU. He asked mission leaders to represent a country with a “successful outlook”, one that has produced results thanks to unconventional and novel policies.

These are treated with suspicion in the EU, he said, adding that Hungary should not have to defend itself. Rather, diplomats should present opportunities linked to successes already delivered, he said. Hungary is the only EU country whose political system had been “thoroughly screened” by the EU for common European values, Orbán said.

Commenting on the prime minister’s remarks, the opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) said that Orbán had “issued instructions to further navigate towards eastern dictatorships”.

Orbán has made it clear that Hungary’s policies are not driven by values such as those that NATO or the European Union are built on, DK board member Szabolcs Kerék-Bárczy said, adding that the government was working against national interests.

The opposition E-PM party alliance said that in his address to the ambassadors Orbán had failed to mitigate the damage caused internationally by his recent controversial speech delivered in Romania, and had instead told them to promote such ideas.

Many countries around the world around do not see themselves as “illiberal democracies” and they now eye Hungary with suspicion, the party said in a statement.

Source www.hungarymatters.hu

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