Beginning his regular Friday morning interview on Kossuth Rádió, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán talked about George Soros’ latest article in which he gives instructions to Brussels bureaucrats on how to “circumvent” the “Orbán-Kaczyński veto” of the EU budget.
“George Soros is threatening Hungary and Poland,” PM Orbán said. “George Soros is one of the most corrupt people in the world; he has plenty of politicians in his pocket who now want to blackmail Hungary and Poland for access to EU funds.”
PM Orbán voiced his resentment over the fact that the American billionaire-financier is spreading “absurd, beyond-the-red-line statements” about Hungary, such as claiming that the secrecy of votes in parliamentary elections could be questioned in certain rural areas of Hungary.
On the topic of the common budget, Prime Minister Orbán reminded listeners that within the EU, it is not without precedent that budgetary debates “go to extremes,” as the views of 27 Member States have to be synchronized. There are, however, “many possible solutions; it’s only a question of political will.”
At the heart of the conflict, according to the prime minister, is that Brussels wants to force something on us that we don’t want to accept. “They want to do it in a way that, instead of via unanimity, these questions would be decided with a qualified, two-thirds majority,” he said.
Speaking about the financial side of the current EU debate, Prime Minister Orbán said that regardless of the outcome of the quarrel with Brussels, planned developments will be executed in Hungary. “We can take on loans even without Brussels. Hungary’s economy, in contrast to 2008, lies on a very solid foundation,” PM Orbán said.
On the coronavirus situation in Hungary, the prime minister said that although the movement restrictions put in force 10 days ago did make a difference, “there is no evidence to suggest that we are out of the woods yet.” Taking care of the elderly must still be a priority for everyone, the PM stressed.
“We have reserved 12 million vaccine doses made by Western European manufacturers, but we don’t know exactly when they are going to arrive,” PM Orbán said, adding that, meanwhile, vaccine research is ongoing elsewhere, too.
“The vaccine must not become a political issue; it is a healthcare issue and lives must be saved,” the prime minister concluded.
Photo credit: MTI