“We mustn’t let political considerations or the interests of pharmaceutical companies get in the way of this, which is why we have to negotiate both with the East and the West,” he said, in an interview with public broadcaster Kossuth Rádió.

Commenting on the UK’s approval of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and preparations for a mass vaccination programme, Orbán said: “Those who quit [the European Union] now follow their own path, they’re looking for a solution of their own and are able to protect the health and lives of their citizens quicker than those of us who stayed.”

The prime minister reaffirmed that health-care workers and patients in the most critical condition would be the first to be administered a vaccine when it becomes available.

As regards the status of coronavirus-related restrictions in Hungary beyond Dec. 11, the prime minister said the government would decide on the next steps at a meeting of the operative board coordinating the response to the epidemic on Monday.

He added that it had been made clear at earlier meetings that scientists and doctors firmly oppose any major relaxation of restrictions.

Concerning this Sunday’s parliamentary elections in Romania, Orbán said Romania was an important economic partner for Hungary.

“We’ve tied ourselves to the Hungarian community there and whenever we go there, it means money for Romania,” he said.

The prime minister said Hungary and Romania had a shared interest in both countries having stable governments and urged the Hungarian community to back the ethnic Hungarian RMDSZ party on Sunday.
 

MTI Photo: Zoltán Máthé