The Central European region enjoys the highest economic growth rate in Europe, Orbán said in the interview published on Saturday, adding that without it Europe would fall into stagnation.

Conventional wisdom used to be that central Europe needed Westerners to function, he said. But the situation has turned on its head, he said, adding that it was no longer inconceivable that Europe’s future success would be shaped by Visegrad Group countries.

“That’s what I call new reality in Europe,” he added.

The prime minister said Hungary must remain a part of the European Union since the common market was in the country’s interest. But central European interests now must be taken into greater consideration than before and in proportion to its economic performance, he said.

“Set against our real economic performance and weight, our influence in EU decision-making is disproportionately small, and this has to change,” Orbán said. As regards the protection of traditional national identity, Orbán said whoever managed to be more persistent should win.

PM Orbán: EU Applying Double Standards on Migration

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, in an interview with Czech conservative daily Lidové Noviny, said Europe was applying double standards on the issue of migration. Referring to fences built by Hungary and the Baltic states, he said whenever a liberal government did something it was always good, but when a conservative one did the same it was always the opposite.

Orbán said the EU does not have to let in Afghan migrants because they should stay in their region and Europe should help the countries of that region cope with the burden of Afghan migrants. However, if Germany wants Hungary to open a corridor for Afghans to reach Germany, Hungary will be willing to do so, he added.

He said that after the big migration wave of 2015 acts of terrorism had intensified, adding that there was a connection between the two, and the latter always grew commensurate with the former.

Brussels, he said, was again attempting to pressurise member states into relocating migrants. “We’ll have to veto [this] again and again…” Orbán added.