PM Orbán started his interview by recalling the day ten years ago when he took his second oath as prime minister. “In 1990, no change was achieved that could fundamentally change the country,” the PM recalled. The struggle between the representatives of the old and the new world did not end after the change of regime. The left reorganized itself and began the struggle anew, he added.
After Fidesz won its two-thirds majority in 2010, the new constitution was created and it was finally possible to focus on the future. The PM knew things had to be done differently, especially because a major economic crisis had shaken Hungary prior to 2010. “Our crisis management was not about taking a monthly salary and pension from people and forcing families into debt with foreign currency loans,” he said.
The ultimate goal of governance is to make every Hungarian feel that they are part of a great nation. “If I look back over the last 10 years, we can say that we are heading in the direction we want to go,” he added.
PM Orbán also said that today Hungary has become a work-based society, and that is why it will be successful in the future.
Regarding the epidemiological preparedness, the prime minister said that the introduction of an emergency legal order was a good decision because, in the event of a pandemic, the most important thing is speed. The extraordinary legal order made it possible to react fast and, while remaining within the framework of the Constitution, gave the government the opportunity to amend the law by decrees. The emergency still exists, but an extraordinary legal order is no longer needed to deal with the situation, so the government is giving this back to Parliament.
The Soros-affiliated organizations are already attacking the new situation, the PM noted, even though it has not even started. They believe that a dictatorship is being introduced in Hungary for the third time, he said.
Hungary defended itself against coronavirus more successfully than Western European countries because we made all necessary decisions sooner, the prime minister said. The epidemic is not over and, according to experts, is likely to return in the autumn in a second wave. The chief medical officer will be given increased powers and the Operational Group will remain. This is roughly how the ongoing epidemiological preparedness can be summed up, the prime minister said.
Thanks to the decisions made in time, cooperation and our excellent specialists, there has been no large-scale illness in Hungary, he noted.
PM Orbán emphasized that the people have always been involved in state decisions through national consultations, which create points of agreement. The epidemic is a serious matter, and it is now time for another national consultation on the economy and the coronavirus.
The prime minister also talked about the European Commission's plans to create a budget of EUR 750 billion, stating that it is not based on work and contributions, but on credit.
“We would take this [money] out as a loan together and jointly guarantee its repayment. With this, Europe is embarking on a journey we have never taken before. They want to take out this loan for 30 years, so even our grandchildren may have to pay for it. We need to think carefully about whether we as a country want this or not,” PM Orbán said.
Money is also supposed to be distributed among member states to help poorer countries develop. But this new fund distribution system is absurd because it wants to pay more money to rich countries than to poorer countries. Today, Hungary has overtaken the Greeks and stands alongside the Portuguese, but is still among the poorest. If we take the necessary steps now, we could have a very good year in 2021.
PM Orbán noted that of course there are uncertainties in next year's budget, and they have justified it according to their best knowledge. The PM believes that the economic protection plan in place, if followed, could deliver an outstanding 2021.