“During my time as prime minister, a role I held between our two presidencies, I have had a unique vantage point from which to witness the erosion of Europe’s competitiveness,” Orbán said.

He said he had been “fortunate enough to know the great architects of the European integration of the 1990s,” making special mention of Helmut Kohl. Quoting the former German chancellor, Orbán said that Kohl once remarked: “We all need Europe in order to remain competitive on the world markets,” adding that “his words have never been as relevant as they are today”.

“The loss of the EU’s competitiveness has been a growing tendency in recent decades,” the prime minister said. “This decline can be attributed primarily to misguided Brussels decisions that go against the realities of the world economy.”

He said that “Europe has become a far less attractive investment destination, even prompting European companies to consider relocating to other markets,” and noted Hungary’s experience, which he said “shows that economic success requires competition and a business-friendly environment”.

“We aim to negotiate a new competitiveness deal to relaunch European economic expansion, while promoting an open economy and international co-operation,” he said. Orbán concluded the article by underlining Hungary’s belief “that a competitive Europe serves the interests of all member states”.

“Hungary is gearing up for an exceptionally active EU presidency. It’s time to set aside ideological disputes and kick-start Europe’s engine. Let’s make Europe competitive again.”

President Sulyok: Hungary Intent on Strengthening Europe

Hungary is intent on strengthening Europe and its communities as well as conserving peace in the bloc, President Tamás Sulyok said in Brussels.

Giving a speech late on Monday on the occasion of the opening of the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the European Union, Sulyok noted that Hungary held the rotating presidency “successfully” 13 years ago.

Hungary, he said, was committed to defending Europe’s interests and the rights and obligations stipulated in the founding treaties, as well as overcoming the challenges it faces, adding that Hungary would do so responsibly and serve the citizens of Europe.

He said the union was “Europe’s hope and promise” after the tragic events of the 20th century, and described the EU as a “remarkable and unique economic and political union; less than a state but more than a simple federation”, based on “our common Christian culture and values” and the equality and sovereignty of its member states. Its strength lay, he said, in the diversity of its nations and the values and characteristics of its member states.

The “common European will”, he added, derived from the “separate will of its members” and values deeply rooted in the singularities and constitutions of member states. He said unity did not equate with uniformity and common action was not an automatic given.

“Differences of opinion and debates help us understand each other to better find solutions to common challenges,” the president said, adding that it was desirable for member states to seek mutual respect and for all opinions to be considered, as the EU would never have been created had it not been established on the basis of mutual understanding.

Meanwhile, UN Introduces World Fair Play Day at Hungary's Initiative

The General Assembly of the United Nations has adopted a Hungarian initiative with a full consensus to mark World Fair Play Day on May 19 each year, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Facebook from New York on Tuesday.

“Today has started with a great Hungarian success,” the minister wrote, adding that 92 UN members had joined and co-authored the Hungarian proposal, “making a symbolic commitment and signalling their full support for our initiative”.

He said the initiative was backed by a “global coalition”, including China, the US, Germany, South Korea, Indonesia, Argentina, and the United Arab Emirates.

The Hungarian initiative “promotes an approach to reinforce sportsmanship and the values it represents, such as abiding by the rules, respecting the adversary and combatting violence and doping,” Szijjártó said.

Referring to the peace-promoting role of the Olympic Games, Szijjártó said: “We want the whole world to remember … when athletes hugged after a competition even when they came from countries at war with each other.”

“With less than three weeks before the 33rd Summer Olympics, it is no exaggeration to say that this has been the greatest demonstration globally of support for the independence of sports and against the tendency of the world falling into blocs again … and all this is associated with us Hungarians,” Szijjártó said.

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