"These are the forces that we, the Patriots, represent in Europe, and I think these are the forces that will win the election in the United States on Tuesday," the prime minister said.

Orban insisted that early in 2024 he had predicted that the balance of power in the West would shift by the end of the year.

He said this had turned out to be correct, pointing to the formation of the Patriots for Europe group after the European Parliament elections.

He added he expected the new grouping to soon become "the majority force" in Europe. 

"There's also a sea change in America: it will be out with the Democrats and in with the Republicans, and Donald Trump will be the president again," he added.

Orban said this meant that the pro-peace political forces would be in the majority in the West by the end of the year.

"Today there's a pro-war majority in the Western world, but after the US election there'll be a pro-peace one," the prime minister said. "There's a pro-migration policy in the Western world, but after the US election, together with the European Patriots, there will finally be a Western majority that wants to end migration."

He said there was also a "pro-gender world" in the West today that wanted to "tear the traditional family apart", but this, too, would change after next Tuesday, and "together the Patriots and Donald Trump will pursue a policy that protects traditional families".

Orban said it was up to Europeans to decide where Europe's place would be. "Right now we're sitting on a stool in the corner while the Americans and the Russians negotiate," he said. "We have to pull ourselves together, that's what we'll have to do in Budapest," he added, referring to the upcoming European Political Community summit.

The prime minister also said he did not think the US presidential election would be close, and trusted that there would be a pro-peace president in the US."If America becomes pro-peace, as we expect it to, then Europe won't be able to remain pro-war, either," he added.

Orban said Europe could not bear the burden of the war "which the leaders of the European institutions pushed it into" on its own. "If the Americans shift to peace, then we have to adapt to that as well; that's what we'll be discussing in Budapest."

He noted that the Eastern world had held a summit last week in the form of the BRICS summit, which had now included more members. He said this would not have been "serious news 20 years ago", but today these countries accounted for a greater share of the global economic output than the West.

"The Easterners gathered and decided what they will do, and next week the Westerners will gather in Hungary,"Orban said, noting that 45-47 heads of state and government are set to attend the coming European Political Communit summit.

He said the summit was set to be the biggest-ever diplomatic event in Hungary's history, noting that apart from EU leaders, it will also include the leaders of the UK, Turkiye, the Caucasus and the Northern and Western Balkan countries.

Orban said the summit will focus on the US presidential election and reversing Europe's declining competitiveness.

Former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi is also scheduled to attend the summit to discuss a recent study he has written on the EU's competitiveness, the prime minister said.

Turning to the recent economic data, Orban said there were "no problems with industrial output in Hungary", and the policy of trade neutrality was needed because of "trade-related problems".

He said Hungary was home to the most advanced automotive plants as well as factories that produce parts for the aviation industry, while defence industry capacities have also been expanded. "So there's nothing wrong with Hungarian industry," he said.

Orban said Hungary had "achieved a fantastic level" in terms of industrial production over the last 14 years. "Our factories are advanced, most of the managers are now Hungarian, and the foreign companies also have fantastic staff who run these plants to the highest global standard," he said.

The problem, he said, concerned trade, explaining that the products coming out of these plants had to be sold, but the global market was in trouble, "and the European market especially so", which is why a policy of"economic neutrality" was needed.

"Hungary isn't producing less because it doesn't have good factories, workers or technology, but because there's no demand," he said. "That's how the global economy works ... but there'll be a huge need for these products, especially electric vehicles, in the global economy."

The prime minister said that after this year's slowdown, the economy would grow by 3.5 percent next year because major plants would begin firing up. He added, however, that if Hungary "is unlucky", global trade would be down, and the country would not be able to export what it produces.

Orban said the government expected production at BMW's plant in Debrecen and the Chinese electric vehicle plant near Szeged to contribute to Hungary's economic growth next year.

Hungary must maintain "economic neutrality" to ensure its "world-class" products can be purchased in the East if demand wanes in the West, he added.

The prime minister said the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which now has a new head, was the government's most important partner for ensuring economic growth, wages, jobs, and vocational training, and he hailed the chamber's achievements over the past 14 years, adding that he looked forward to working with the organisation's new president.

The government, he said, did not want to interfere in wage negotiations, which were up to employees and employers to thrash out. Orban added that hopefully they would agree on a three year deal which would maximise predictability.

Regarding government loan subsidies, the prime minister said the country was now at the point that it could provide support for young workers as well as students.

He said loans must be linked to work as "we don't want to support the indolent". But most people wanted to learn a trade and use it in gainful employment, he added, noting the introduction of a virtually interest-free, 10-year loan of 4 million forints for 17-25 year-olds. Those raising a child can suspend repayment for 2 years after the first child and another two-and-a-half years after the second; the whole debt is forgiven after three children, he noted.

Regarding the Sandor Demjan support scheme for small entrepreneurs, he said generally small businesses everywhere faced difficulties, and the scheme would help them secure capital. The state will invest by providing a deposit loan to such businesses, with a view to expanding their size and opportunities, he added.

The prime minister said EU tenders were under way and would soon be announced, and in contrast to the "horror stories" claiming the cupboard was bare, 12 billion euros "are in our account, waiting for entrepreneurs to take these funds..." Orban said the government targeted growth of 3-3.5 percent next year, and SMEs as well as large companies would contribute to it.

Orban: Western world set for sea change

The Western world faces a sea change, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in an interview to public radio on Sunday, arguing that a new "pro-peace, anti-migration and anti-gender" majority was emerging.

"These are the forces that we, the Patriots, represent in Europe, and I think these are the forces that will win the election in the United States on Tuesday," the prime minister said.

Orban insisted that early in 2024 he had predicted that the balance of power in the West would shift by the end of the year.

He said this had turned out to be correct, pointing to the formation of the Patriots for Europe group after the European Parliament elections. He added he expected the new grouping to soon become "the majority force" in Europe. "There's also a sea change in America: it will be out with the Democrats and in with the Republicans, and Donald Trump will be the president again," he added.

Orban said this meant that the pro-peace political forces would be in the majority in the West by the end of the year.

"Today there's a pro-war majority in the Western world, but after the US election there'll be a pro-peace one," the prime minister said. "There's a pro-migration policy in the Western world, but after the US election, together with the European Patriots, there will finally be a Western majority that wants to end migration."

He said there was also a "pro-gender world" in the West today that wanted to "tear the traditional family apart", but this, too, would change after next Tuesday, and "together the Patriots and Donald Trump will pursue a policy that protects traditional families".

Orban said it was up to Europeans to decide where Europe's place would be. "Right now we're sitting on a stool in the corner while the Americans and the Russians negotiate," he said. 

"We have to pull ourselves together, that's what we'll have to do in Budapest," he added, referring to the upcoming European Political Community summit.

The prime minister also said he did not think the US presidential election would be close, and trusted that there would be a pro-peace president in the US."If America becomes pro-peace, as we expect it to, then Europe won't be able to remain pro-war, either," he added.

Orban said Europe could not bear the burden of the war "which the leaders of the European institutions pushed it into" on its own. "If the Americans shift to peace, then we have to adapt to that as well; that's what we'll be discussing in Budapest."

He noted that the Eastern world had held a summit last week in the form of the BRICS summit, which had now included more members. He said this would not have been "serious news 20 years ago", but today these countries accounted for a greater share of the global economic output than the West.

"The Easterners gathered and decided what they will do, and next week the Westerners will gather in Hungary,"Orban said, noting that 45-47 heads of state and government are set to attend the coming European Political Communit summit.

He said the summit was set to be the biggest-ever diplomatic event in Hungary's history, noting that apart from EU leaders, it will also include the leaders of the UK, Turkiye, the Caucasus and the Northern and Western Balkan countries.

Orban said the summit will focus on the US presidential election and reversing Europe's declining competitiveness.

Former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi is also scheduled to attend the summit to discuss a recent study he has written on the EU's competitiveness, the prime minister said.

Turning to the recent economic data, Orban said there were "no problems with industrial output in Hungary", and the policy of trade neutrality was needed because of "trade-related problems".

He said Hungary was home to the most advanced automotive plants as well as factories that produce parts for the aviation industry, while defence industry capacities have also been expanded. "So there's nothing wrong with Hungarian industry," he said.

Orban said Hungary had "achieved a fantastic level" in terms of industrial production over the last 14 years. "Our factories are advanced, most of the managers are now Hungarian, and the foreign companies also have fantastic staff who run these plants to the highest global standard," he said.

The problem, he said, concerned trade, explaining that the products coming out of these plants had to be sold, but the global market was in trouble, "and the European market especially so", which is why a policy of"economic neutrality" was needed.

"Hungary isn't producing less because it doesn't have good factories, workers or technology, but because there's no demand," he said. "That's how the global economy works ... but there'll be a huge need for these products, especially electric vehicles, in the global economy."

The prime minister said that after this year's slowdown, the economy would grow by 3.5 percent next year because major plants would begin firing up. He added, however, that if Hungary "is unlucky", global trade would be down, and the country would not be able to export what it produces.

Orban said the government expected production at BMW's plant in Debrecen and the Chinese electric vehicle plant near Szeged to contribute to Hungary's economic growth next year.
 

Hungary must maintain "economic neutrality" to ensure its "world-class" products can be purchased in the East if demand wanes in the West, he added.

The prime minister said the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which now has a new head, was the government's most important partner for ensuring economic growth, wages, jobs, and vocational training, and he hailed the chamber's achievements over the past 14 years, adding that he looked forward to working with the organisation's new president.

The government, he said, did not want to interfere in wage negotiations, which were up to employees and employers to thrash out. Orban added that hopefully they would agree on a three year deal which would maximise predictability.

Regarding government loan subsidies, the prime minister said the country was now at the point that it could provide support for young workers as well as students.

He said loans must be linked to work as "we don't want to support the indolent". But most people wanted to learn a trade and use it in gainful employment, he added, noting the introduction of a virtually interest-free, 10-year loan of 4 million forints for 17-25 year-olds. Those raising a child can suspend repayment for 2 years after the first child and another two-and-a-half years after the second; the whole debt is forgiven after three children, he noted.

Regarding the Sandor Demjan support scheme for small entrepreneurs, he said generally small businesses everywhere faced difficulties, and the scheme would help them secure capital. The state will invest by providing a deposit loan to such businesses, with a view to expanding their size and opportunities, he added.

The prime minister said EU tenders were under way and would soon be announced, and in contrast to the "horror stories" claiming the cupboard was bare, 12 billion euros "are in our account, waiting for entrepreneurs to take these funds..." Orban said the government targeted growth of 3-3.5 percent next year, and SMEs as well as large companies would contribute to it.

Orban: Hungary 'conservative island in European liberal ocean'

Unlike many other European Union member states, Hungary has not taken in people belonging to foreign cultures, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in an interview with Austria's ServusTV on Thursday, adding that Hungary pursued a family-friendly policy and was a "conservative island in the European liberal ocean".

The prime minister said there were more children being born today on the southern side of the Mediterranean than on the northern side, adding that Germany and Austria, for example, were not defending against this trend, but instead saw the solution to this problem in migration policy. Hungary, on the other hand, favoured supporting families, he said.

He said the trend of deaths outstripping births was the result of the policies of the last 30-40 years, noting Europe's shrinking and aging population.

Orban said "money alone" would not increase the birth rate, arguing that a family-friendly culture was needed.

This, he added, required that young people feel secure and choose to have families. He said this called for a predictable economic policy, persistence and a change in mindset, which, he said, meant at least 10-20 years.

Orban said the European economy was "suffering from pneumonia" and had serious problems.

He cited French President Emmanuel Macron's recent warning that the EU could be "out of the market" within two or three years, and former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi's warning that the European economy could fail.

The prime minister said the signs of this decline were visible in the Austrian and German economies and many other places, underlining the need to make the European economy competitive again.

He said the crux of this problem was energy prices, arguing that Brussels' policies had led to European companies having to pay 2-3 times what American businesses are paying for electricity, while gas was 3-4 times more expensive. Europe, he added, could not compete like this, and needed a new energy policy, otherwise its businesses would go bankrupt.

As regards migration, Orban said there were two different kinds of European countries: those that had taken in people belonging to foreign -- mainly Islamic -- cultures, and those that had not, noting that Hungary belonged to the latter group.

Hungary, he said, only issued as many work permits to those belonging to foreign cultures as were needed in the labour market, and they had to leave the country once their work permit expired.

Orban said Hungarians believed illegal migration never made matters better anywhere, only worse, arguing that it led to a rise in crime, anti-Semitism and homophobia.

Nobody in Hungary wanted illegal migrants in the country, he said, adding that Hungary was a "conservative island in the European liberal ocean".

Meanwhile, Orban said he considered it important for there to be more and more patriotic heads of government in Europe, adding that he trusted that Austria would soon have a head of government from the Freedom Party (FPO). He said there was also a good chance that Czechia would elect a patriotic leader and that Marine Le Pen's party could form a government in France.

Orban said four or five EU countries being led by patriotic heads of government would also have a positive impact on Brussels' policies.

He criticised EU policy, saying that the leadership in Brussels had created a culture and a hegemonic mindset in which one who was not a liberal could not be considered a democrat. He said this culture had been created with the help of US financier George Soros, who was "pumping money" into this kind of politics.

Orban said there was also room on the political scene for liberals, and encouraged them to express their views, after which voters would make their choice.

Concerning the war in Ukraine, the prime minister said he was not "pro-Russian", but rather pro-peace, adding, at the same time, that the conflict was a "fraternal war which we have nothing to do with".

He said there was a major risk of the war expanding, which would lead to a world war, and called for an urgent ceasefire and peace talks.

Orban underscored the importance of next week's US presidential election, saying that Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, had not started any wars during his presidency, and had ended any ongoing wars as quickly as he could.

As regards stopping illegal migration, the prime minister said he would "sit down with President Trump", and Europeans and Americans could conclude "good agreements". He said Trump would be replacing a "pro-war president" as a "pro-peace president", which could also bring about change in the policies coming out of Brussels.

Orban to attend OTS summit, have bilateral talks in Bishkek next week

Prime Minister Viktor Orban is paying an official visit to Kyrgyzstan on Nov 5, Bertalan Havasi, the PM's press chief, told MTI on Friday, confirming local press reports.

The prime minister's visit will include high-level talks concerning matters related to Kyrgyzstan and Hungary's strategic partnership, according to news portals citing the Kyrgyz presidential office. The sides plan to sign several documents aimed at further bolstering bilateral cooperation.

Havasi added that Orban will attend the summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) in Bishkek on Nov 6.

Source: 
MTI - The Hungarian News Agency, founded in 1881.

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