Anchor Richard Quest cited the OECD’s report on Hungary saying that the organisation had called on Hungary to take significant steps regarding bribery and corruption.

Szijjártó said: “If there is a country with a clear growth path, [in spite of] all kinds of difficulties including Covid, the war in the neighbourhood, including not receiving monies from the EU … the economy is growing year by year.

We break investment records year by year. Would you think it would be possible if there was system[ic] corruption? In case of systemic corruption, there is no growth, investors are not coming…”, Szijjártó said.

Regarding the “attacks” calling into question the state of the rule of law in Hungary, Szijjártó said: “They insult us continuously … Their problem is, I think, that here is a government which is anti-mainstream.

This is a right-wing government, this is a Christian Democratic government, this is a very patriotic government, this government goes against international liberal mainstream on many important issues, and in the meantime, this government is successful…”

Commenting on his earlier statement on “pressure of godless ideologies” on Hungarian politics, Szijjártó said: “There are tendencies which condemn religious organisations, which think that being religious is somehow retrograde, something bad … I do believe that religion is very important … And we should be aware of one issue for sure, that Christianity unfortunately became the most persecuted religion on Earth … [Hungary] feels responsible for the Christian community.”