Orban said the past three years had been "traumatic" with a war in the neighbourhood "in which hundreds, sometimes thousands die daily, while the country is emptied, bombed, and its resources lost". He added that the impact of the war was "inescapable", pointing to soaring prices and ruined energy markets.

"We have lived in this for three years and now that it could be over it is like coming up from under water and you can breathe again after a long time," he said.

Transcript if the Interview in English available here


Ukraine crisis - Over 15,000 Ukrainian citizens enter Hungary on Saturday

Fully 9,521 Ukrainian citizens entered Hungary at the Ukraine-Hungary border on Saturday, while 5,864 came to the country via Romania, according to the national police headquarters (ORFK).

Police issued temporary residence permits valid for 30 days to 28 people, ORFK said on Sunday.


Orban: Big changes ahead, moving from wartime to peace

Prime Minister Viktor Orban, addressing an international press conference on Saturday, said that in light of the US election, the world was on the verge of "a new reality" and "new things" were in the pipeline. "Very big changes are ahead of us; we're moving from wartime to an era of peace," he said.

After the US presidential election, the European elite "took no notice of the new reality", Orban said. Yet the world will face massive changes when Donald Trump takes office on Jan 20, even if he puts into practice only a fraction of what he has planned, he added.

Europe should wake up to the new reality, he said, adding that "new things will happen, things that were never even dreamt of, except maybe by Hungarians."

If the war in Ukraine comes to an end, sanctions "that are tormenting the European economy" can be lifted, the prime minister said, adding that Hungary's standpoint was that sanctions should be lifted as soon as possible, and then the period of inflation "will end, and economic recovery can finally begin, and prosperity can return to Europe."


Meanwhile, Orban: Brussels wants to turn Hungary into Magdeburg

Prime Minister Viktor Orban, addressing a year-end international press conference on Saturday, drew a connection between illegal migration and acts of terrorism, referring to the recent tragedy at the Magdeburg Christmas market in Germany and declaring that Brussels wanted to "turn Hungary into Magdeburg", and force risky migration regulations on the country, which "must not be allowed".

The prime minister started the press conference by expressing his condolences to Germany and the families of the victims of a terrorist attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg. He said there was "no doubt" of a connection between illegal migration and terrorist acts but many had tried to deny this, "even though it is a fact that nothing like [such attacks] had happened before" Europe’s migration crisis.

He said the lesson for Hungary was that it must carry on resisting being changed into "a world where something like this can happen".

Meanwhile, Orban rated Hungary’s presidency of the Council of the European Union a success.

Referring to suggestions that Hungary had been isolated, Orban said: "I’ve never seen isolation like it in my life; half the world was here", adding that Hungary had organised the biggest diplomatic event in its history.

He said the Hungarian presidency had applied a policy-based, rather than a "bureaucratic" approach, noting that its focus had been on the Russia-Ukraine war, the Schengen area and competitiveness.

As regards the war in Ukraine, he said the presidency had "no room for manoeuvre" because of the "serious and deep disagreements" in the EU over the strategy to be adopted in connection with the conflict.

Orban said the side arguing that the conflict was Europe's war was "in the overwhelming majority" and still prevailed, and this was something that Hungary had been forced to contend with, while the other position, represented by Hungary, held that the war was Slavic and fratricidal, and must not be "magnified and strengthened" but rather isolated.

He said "the seriousness of the situation" justified Hungary undertaking a peace mission. "We set these apart from the EU presidency, which led to some debates, but today no one will dispute that Hungary has a right -- and we believe it has a duty -- to launch a peace mission," Orban said.

The prime minister said the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen zone benefitted the two countries as well as Hungary. But it also helped to solve the "European problem" of some member states "blocking enlargement for 13 years", he added.

Dissolving the border with Romania will provide new opportunities for Hungary, he said, noting the prospect of more border crossings, shorter routes and improvements to quality of life in the border region. Also, Hungary will gradually withdraw all border guards and police from the relevant border, which would benefit law enforcement now struggling with a shortage of personnel, he added.

The prime minister noted that the competitiveness pact adopted at the Budapest EU summit set deadlines for the next six months for managing how to stop and reverse the deterioration of the bloc's competitiveness.

The document was unprecedented, he said, and "a serious achievement" in terms of reaching a consensus on how to boost European market efficiency, capital and investments in a period which had seen the bloc preferring to deal with social issues and moving leftwards politically.

Orban said it was also important that the 27 agricultural ministers worked out a joint position on post-2027 agricultural policy.

He said "time has proven right" Hungary's determination to show courage and take on debates, even on issues that had seemed intractable.

Before Hungary's presidency, no one would have foreseen Schengen enlargement, the competitiveness pact, a common vision of agricultural ministers for the future of European agriculture, Orban said. "All of this has come to pass," he declared.

The prime minister also said that after the US presidential election, the European elite "took no notice of the new reality". Yet the world will face massive changes when Donald Trump takes office on Jan 20, even if he puts into practice only a fraction of what he has planned, he added.

He said that If Trump's signalling regarding the balance of US-European trade, which was beneficial to Europe and detrimental to America, were not taken seriously, then it would be "tariffs all the way".

Also, the Western world's attitude to migration, family protection and traditional values and "the gender issue" would be "completely different". Economic relations, war and the resulting sanctions, likewise, would be "completely different", he added.

Europe should wake up to the new reality, Orban said, adding that "new things will happen, things that were never even dreamt of, except maybe by Hungarians".

"Very big changes are ahead of us; we're moving from wartime to an era of peace," he said. "Hungary is happy about this," he added, adding that for "geographic, political, economic and military reasons" the country "cannot win in times of war but only when there's peace".

He noted that Hungary had provided every kind of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine during the war, adding however that it "never sent weapons to Ukraine, neither will it do so or finance weapons purchases". Since the start of the war, 1.5 million Ukrainian citizens have crossed into Hungary, he said, adding that currently some 80,000 Ukrainians are staying in Hungary.

Orban noted that Hungary has helped Ukraine with energy supplies, training doctors and "saving lives in general". He added that Hungary had continuously put forward peace proposals, with a Hungarian proposal now on the table for a Christmas truce and a mass exchange of prisoners.

If the war in Ukraine comes to an end, sanctions "that are tormenting the European economy" can be lifted, the prime minister said, adding that Hungary's standpoint was that sanctions should be lifted as soon as possible, and then the period of inflation "will end, and the economic recovery can finally begin, and prosperity can return to Europe."

Orban said that Hungary represented this position in the European debate, but it had hit a wall because, "apart from one or two countries -- and the big ones are all on the other side -- this idea has not yet matured". Parties that formed the majority in the European Parliament, he said, had formed a pact under which "everything should carry on as before", which he called "extremely harmful".

Furthermore, the EP's proposals include the requirement that all member states contribute 0.25 percent of their GDP towards helping Ukraine for five years, he said, noting that this would amount to an annual 200 billion forints in Hungary's case, "equal to pension spending for half a month".

Meanwhile, Orban said the result of the United States presidential election was "in line with the changes that have started in European politics". He added that the emergence of the Patriots for Europe group had given momentum to the change.

"There is Brussels and its opposition; there is a liberal elite and its opposition," he said, adding that "as a result of the EP pact, the Patriots have been squeezed out of all positions they should have been granted under any parliamentary maths."

"Hungary is being fined one million euros each day for controlling the borders because it would not want to see developments similar to what happened in Magdeburg and it would not allow migrants to enter the country," he said.

Concerning the government's recent National Consultation survey, Orban said it focused on a new economic policy, economic neutrality, connectivity, and an economic action plan in 21 points. He said 1.252 million people had returned the questionnaires.

The new economic policy, trade neutrality and the strategy of connectivity were the main topics of the public survey, Orban noted.

He said the keen response was "very important to the government". "This is our foundation; it's what buttresses us," he added.

Policies include providing support to employers so in turn they can help young people to pay their rent and mortgages, while small businesses can receive capital injections. Also, the biggest programme in Hungary's history to increase wages will take place, with a 40 percent increase in the minimum wage implemented over the space of three years, the prime minister said.

As well as university students, young employees will also receive support, he said. Further, investments "of national economic significance" will be set in motion over the next year, which he called an "important development".

He said it was important to support young workers, whose "work, skill, commitment and efforts should be appreciated".

Concerning next year's major investment projects, Orban mentioned the opening of a BMW car plant as one of the rare schemes "that could make a change and open new vistas".

On the subject of Hungary's industrial policy in the future, Orban mentioned infocommunications and electromobility. He said storing energy, a crucial component for electromobility, was a "great cause" for the next decade.

"When we produce a large part of our electricity from green sources, the capability to store that energy will be the greatest industrial achievement," he said. This strategic direction "will not be affected by the number of electric cars sold," the prime minister added. The large battery plants starting production as well as Europe's first Chinese electric car plant opening in Hungary were crucial for the Hungarian economy, Orban said.

Among the signs giving cause for hope, Orban mentioned the fact that real wages have grown by around 10 percent this year, which only happened "perhaps twice" in the past 30 years.

Retail sales have increased by 4 percent in recent months, home lending has started recovering, the number of home sales shot up and the construction sector's order stock rose 32 percent from October 2023, he added.

"When we talk about a flying start, a new economic policy and a 21-point economic action plan, we mean we will not start from zero, but already in the last quarter we can see the economic developments that will form the basis of our optimism," Orban said.

2025 will be a great year for the Hungarian economy, he said. "New times are coming, which we noticed early, and started praparing in time," he said. "We can win in the new era, an era of peace, because we will start from a good starting position. Those who are still dealing with the era of war will be left behind," he added.

"We have good hope that 2025 will already be about Hungary winning the era of peace," Orban said.

Brussels wants to "turn Hungary into Magdeburg," he said. "They want to force risky migration regulations on the country, which must not be allowed," the prime minister said.

The government has not given up its plans to carry the migrants by buses to Brussels, he said, asking the competent minister to ensure that "the buses should keep warming up their engines". He said the situation could arise at any moment that "they can only respond in one way to a move from Brussels," and that is by giving migrants one-way tickets to Brussels by train or by bus.

He said this can be done legally, and this would not be provocation for its own sake but a clear sign that Hungary would defend itself.

He added that the government had hired a prestigious law firm through which Hungary will sue Brussels and claim back the money that it lost.

Orban said joining the euro zone was not in his mind among the tools to stabilise the forint's exchange rate. Euro zone membership undoubtedly brings stability but it stifles growth, takes away the opportunity for development, he added, suggesting that Hungary retain the opportunity for faster growth, for which a national currency is needed.

He said the Hungarian currency was highly sensitive to global changes, which is never good, and these fluctuations were unnatural.

On the budget deficit, he indicated that a deficit of 4.5 percent is targeted for this year, and 3.7 percent for next year, and the deficit should definitely be kept under 4 percent. He argued that it was very difficult to manage a budget deficit of over 3 percent, that would mean the country remanining on a "continuous debt path".

He said that it should be Hungary's strategic goal to reduce the budget deficit and the state debt and sooner or later move into a creditor position, "so that we do not go to others for money, but others come to us".

He also noted that he had never been a supporter of the kind of economic stimulus that carried financial risk, for example, of the budget deficit shooting up or the previously planned balance path being overturned.

He recalled that Fidesz had probably won every election in a way that the budget deficit in the election year was lower than in the preceding year, adding that he considered this a serious professional feat.

Hungary must always avoid political and economic adventures that would lead to a collapse of financial stability. This idea is also embodied in the person of the new finance minister, he said.

On a possible debate with Peter Magyar, and on the debate style of Tamas Menczer, Fidesz's communication director, the prime minister said agressive ranting and raving have appeared in politics. This was not brought in by Tamas Menczer, he just accepted the challenge, so the responsibility was not his, he said.

The government's job is not to deal with the opposition, that should be left to the parties, he said. The government's job is to deal with the country, the problems, the challenges, the people. Orban said he would not like the emergence of new political styles and tools in politics to divert the Hungarian government's attention from its tasks and duties. This is why he would not take part in such debates, he said, adding that he would never argue with people whose masters are in Brussels because he had an argument with Brussels.

Orban said it had been his destination for many years to have the Hungarian opposition led by Brussels' agents. This has been so since Hungary announced that it had its own path and was willing to take on the debates with Brussels.

Since then, at every election, he could see that everything was being done in Brussels to achieve a change of government in Hungary and they never denied this.

Regarding the elections, he said his experience had shown that the one who remained calm and composed and "did not burden" the electoral system for at least a year before the elections always did well.

Hungary's election laws stipulate how electoral districts should be shaped based on demographic data; "it is not up to the discretion of the parliamentary majority," Orban said.

Orban said "proposals suggesting that parliament should exceed the modification stipulated by law ... were removed in the debate, and only the legally necessary changes have been made." He also added that the government was not preparing to introduce further changes to the electoral system.

Answering a question, Orban said children's homes need to be granted sufficient financing to ensure "safe, healthy, and high quality food" to their dwellers. The government "does not economise on children", he added.

Meanwhile, the prime minister highlighted outgoing national bank governnor Gyorgy Matolcsy as an outstanding economic policy expert, that had "always made sure that the resources to finance welfare, health, and education services were in place". He added that the budget was "in order" in Mihaly Varga's finance ministry, and said he hoped it would remain so under Marton Nagy, the incoming minister.

"We always have money for the areas that require it most," Orban said, and mentioned railway stations for example. Railway services will continue to be provided by the state, he said, adding that private capital would be involved to run cafeterias and shops at railway stations.

The prime minister said the Hungarian economy was competitive, but added that it had its problems and energy was the "Achilles-heel".

An increase in energy prices caused by the war in Ukraine and the sanctions heavily impacted Hungary's competitiveness, he said, adding that "10 billion euros have evaporated" from the Hungarian economy. One of the most important task for the industrial policy is to ensure cheap energy resources, he said.

Answering a question concerning the exchange rate of the national currency, Orban said the rate was affected by "innumerable factors" including speculation, government performance, the general financial situation, stability, the budget deficit and the state of other currencies.

He said fluctuations in the exchange rate were more impacted by individual factors than by the actual state of the Hungarian economy. "It is not possible that there is a 10-15 forint drop or increase, while the economy stays the same ... I don't think the structure of the Hungarian economy could change from Monday to Thursday."

On another subject, Orban warned that Ukraine's possible joining the EU could destroy the Hungarian and even the European agriculture. That is why agrarian countries of the bloc are forming a "strong alliance" aimed at "rationalising" Ukraine's approaching the EU "so that we are not killed" by imports from that country, Orban said.

Concerning guest workers in Hungary, Orban said regulations had been made to allow for an opportunity to expel guest workers from the country, and "allowed each country sending workers to Hungary some time to pass their own legislation ensuring return".

He said Hungary would not receive guest workers from countries failing to pass such legislation or failing to sign a relevant agreement with Hungary, starting on January 1. Under the changes guest workers from "ten or so" countries will not be received in Hungary from January 1, he said.

Concerning his peace mission, Orban said he could "hardly wait for somebody to take over", adding that it would happen when the new US president were inaugurated. He added that the mission was above Hungary's means and "Donald Trump's entry will restore the correct order of things."

On the subject of community funding and Hungary's possible losing of 400 billion forints, Orban said "Hungary will not lose out on any resources ... one loses a handkerchief, not their resources ... it is not possible." He said the government would "secure the funds due to Hungary". "Hungary will get all funds it is entitled to," he added.

Referring to Poland's Mateusz Morawiecki, the new leader of European Conservatives, Orban said he had had a decade-long friendship with him, adding that they had had talks since Morawiecki's election. Orban said his Patriots group and Conservatives were "different camps" but they saw eye to eye on major issues and the two groups could even build institutional cooperation in the long run.

"When that happens we will open a bottle of champagne and overcome the Socialists in the European Parliament," Orban said. "When we have grown large and have greater gravity, we'll accept parties from the European People's Party, and we'll be the greatest," he added.

Concerning his visit to Bulgaria the previous day, Orban said energy deliveries to Hungary via Ukraine were going to get more dificult and it was better to assume that nothing would come from there.

With the help of Bulgaria and Romania, in cooperation with them, Hungary has the routes and the resources to ensure that Hungarian households and the economy do not suffer, he said.

Fielding another question, he said the government would not give up its energy procurement plans, it is negotiating with both the Russians and the Ukrainians.

He noted that Russia's Lukoil wanted to sell one of its refineries in an open tender, and Hungarian oil and gas company MOL is one of the seven bidders, as the only European Union company. The decision will be taken by the Bulgarians, he added.

In Romania, MVM has indeed bought out one of E.ON's companies, he confirmed to another question, adding that there were unclear issues and the Romanian prime minister also suggested that a working group be set up to clarify these.

On the Romanian presidential election, he said he believed Romania had acquired very valuable knowledge. "They know something that we don't, something happened there that hasn't happened here yet," he said.

Orban said he had asked the Romanians to hand over all the information, and he received a promise to do so from the Romanian prime minister, after the investigations were concluded.

Orban said he did not want to raise the issue of the political asylum of former Polish justice minister Marcin Romanowski to a prime ministerial level. He said his aim was to keep Hungary's conflicts with Poland at a manageable level, so he would not comment on the Polish rule of law situation either.

The decision on granting political asylum has a procedure that must be followed, he said. A study was prepared that fully revealed what the situation was in Poland, and the minister who has the right to decide on political asylum made a decision based on this, he added.

On Hungarian-Polish relations, he said the two countries had common interests, especially in Brussels, that neither country can enforce separately, only together. This is an interstate relationship that must be saved from the world of party relations because the latter are in a terrible state with the Polish governing party at the moment, he said.

On the fact that Hungary granted a loan to North Macedonia with very favourable conditions, the prime minister said it was Hungary's interest that there should be political stability in the region south of it. He said the government also gave a loan to Bosnia and negotiated with Albania as well.

On the situation in Gaza, he said it was unacceptable that people should be held in cellars as hostages, and on Syria, he said that a change had begun but there was as yet no one in control of the processes. Several countries must cooperate here so that the recent developments will not lead to a second terrorist state but to consolidation, he said.

On a possible expansion of the NATO budget, Orban said it was already tough on Hungary that defence spending had to be raised over 2 percent of GDP, adding that he would like to see conditions allowing this to be reduced but the world was moving in the opposite direction.

This 2 percent has been treated by everyone as a matter of loyalty in the recent period, he said, so Hungary had to meet this.

If the 2 percent had to be increased, that would "shoot the Hungarian economy in the lungs," he said. Even if Hungary did come under pressure to do this, Orban said he could only conceive of a staggered increase, adding that he would like to avoid this, and he had not yet talked about the issue with President-elect Donald Trump.

Answering a question on the national consultation, Orban said it was clear that the Hungarian public was the most interested in economic issues above anything else. He said the result of the national consultation confirmed the government's work and made it easier and simpler, so the consultations will be continued.

The prime minister dismissed it as a rumour that under construction minister Janos Lazar's direction, the Information Office kept the staff of the European Union's Anti-Fraud Office under surveillance.

Fielding a question, he said the renovated building of the Finance Ministry would be handed over next February, and the Interior Ministry would move there (as the Finance Ministry would merge into the National Economy ministry from January). The government is also considering the possibility of the Ministry of Defence moving into the current building of the Interior Ministry, he added.

He noted that the state currently paid 60 billion forints a year on renting government properties, and it is unhealthy that the state should be present on this market with such weight. The aim is to have state institutions in their own state-owned properties in the long term, he said, adding that this was not as important as the issue of hospitals, education or justice, but this must also be taken care of. He said it was a financially sensible solution.

Concerning a question about his family's assets, Orban said his asset declarations were public, and his family had always observed the relevant law. "My life is an open book; I am always at the public's disposal," he said.

Orban said the prime minister was not supposed to deal with business but "with public affairs only".

Answering another question about the ramifications of a scandal around a presidential pardon earlier this year, Orban suggested that it had not impacted his Fidesz party's position, with Fidesz garnering 45 percent of the votes in the European parliamentary elections.

He also suggested that a dispute that broke out within the Reformed Church after the scandal was their internal affair. He also added that decision makers must not pass responsibility for their own moves onto their advisors. He said advisors should take "spiritual responsibility" for possible incorrect advice "but that is no longer our business."

Orban said religious organisations operated separately from the state, without any state intervention. "The church discussed and settled this case within their own circles and the atmosphere may have calmed down," he said.


Szijjarto: 'Unacceptable’ that fear has become 'common feeling’ at European Christmas markets

It is "shocking and unacceptable" that fear has become a "common feeling" among those who visit Christmas markets in Europe today, Peter Szijjarto, the foreign minister, said on Saturday.

Szijjarto said on Facebook that the reports coming in from Magdeburg, where a car drove into a crowd at a Christmas market on Friday, were "becoming more and more tragic".

"It’s truly shocking and also unacceptable that it has become common that those who visit Christmas markets in Europe today have to be afraid of when and where a madman, a terrorist or an assailant will show up and drive into the crowd," the minister said.

"Europe should finally wake up and we should protect what we value, our way of life, our security," he said, adding that "it will be increasingly late with each attack".

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families at Christmas," Szijjarto said.

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

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