PM Orbán: EU Recovery Funds to Arrive Sooner or Later
- 4 Oct 2021 5:48 AM
- Hungary Matters
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, in an interview with Czech conservative daily Lidové Noviny, said Brussels was dragging its heels on its decision over EU recovery money, but the funds would arrive sooner or later.
In the meantime, Hungary has raised a large amount of money, 4.5 billion euros, on the market with interest of below 1%, he said, adding this “good deal” would enable the country to implement developments needed for recovery.
“Hungarian projects are up running without a cent from Brussels,” he said.
Commenting on the introduction of a 15% global corporate tax, Orbán said he did not support international decisions that interfered in the tax policies of a sovereign state.
Regarding domestic politics, he said the Fidesz government was locked in a battle with its predecessor to prevent the “regime” of Ferenc Gyurcsány from making a return. He said voters had not forgotten that period of the former Socialist-liberal prime minister.
“This is why we won three times in a row and that’s why we’ll win a fourth time.” Drawing a parallel between the political forces allied against himself and those against Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, Orbán said central European countries all faced a similar situation, insisting that whenever the “big powers” turned against a government in central Europe, they promoted forces that sympathised with them and served their interests.
Orbán accused the “Soros Network” of backing forces, including the “Brussels bureaucracy”, that were protesting against Czech and Hungarian sovereignty.
“Today Brussels favours servile governments,” he said, “not leaders who fight for the independence of their own country.”
Regarding the Czechs and Hungarians, he said the two peoples were different in that Hungarians were more akin to Christian spiritual traditions and national sentiment — and this was reflected in the bearing of their leaders.
“No one can argue, however, that Andrej Babiš is one of Europe’s greatest fighters,” he added.
On the topic of the German elections, Orbán said Germany was experiencing “something novel”, and the big question now was whether or not the election outcome would lead to a predictable, reliable Germany led by a great chancellor.
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