N

Coronavirus Update: PM Orbán says we are getting ready for a quick recovery

“I’m getting ready for a quick recovery, and we have the tools and the financial background to do that,” the prime minister said today.

During his regular slot on Kossuth Radio this morning, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said the government will help create as many jobs as possible – at least as many as have been lost due to the virus.

In Hungary, in addition to unemployment benefits, there is a public work program providing temporary help to people in need. “I’m getting ready for a quick recovery, and we have the tools and the financial background to do that,” he said.

The prime minister found it important to clear up the myth about extra financial resources coming from the European Union. So far, Hungary has not received any extra forints from the European Union to protect against the virus, he explained, adding that now, it’s “only” easier to get the funds that had been originally allocated to Hungary for other purposes.

PM Orbán further talked about the EU agreement wherein a significant portion of the resources for the next seven-year budget period could be accessed over the next few years to deal with the damage caused by the coronavirus. Member states’ representatives also agreed on the need for a larger European Union budget framework than before. “Everyone will pay more money, including Hungary,” he added. According to the prime minister, however, there is no agreement regarding the use of any additional source of credit or other resources in the Union for crisis management in the coming years.

The prime minister also touched upon the two current lines of attack against Hungary. One is coming from various capitals, while the other comes from Brussels. “The views of the capitals, such as Berlin, do not interest us, while Brussels is an imperial center. There are still a lot of problems in the latter location, yet even there you cannot miss the hand of György Soros behind things,” he stressed.

The second Soros plan has been made, PM Orbán continued. Soros wrote that the European Union should borrow large sums of money and have an ongoing interest payment on this loan. “In this situation, Hungary's interests must be protected,” the prime minister said.

A call center set up for advice on the coronavirus can be reached on +36-80-277-455 and +36-80-277-456 or by email koronavirus@bm.gov.hu