Kinga Gál, Leader of the Fidesz European Parliament (EP) Group, said Hungary needs peace to emerge in Ukraine, and its interests lie in preserving stability and prosperity in Europe.
After the EP plenary debate on strengthening European security and defense in Strasbourg on Wednesday, Gal told Hungarian journalists that Hungary condemned Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and stood by Ukraine in upholding its territorial integrity while providing humanitarian support “beyond its means”. She said, however, it was “unacceptable” that Hungary had been attacked because it stood for peace. Meanwhile, Hungary supports common defense policy and strengthening Europe’s defense industry, something that Hungary’s EU presidency will prioritise, she said. But Hungary rejects “ideological statements” contained in the reports discussed in the EP today, she added. Europe’s “real interests”, such as stopping its slide in competitiveness, should be the real focus of debates, Gal said. The MEP decried “repeated attacks” in EP reports against Olivér Várhelyi, the commissioner for enlargement and neighbourhood policy, adding that he deserved credit for getting the enlargement policy moving again. Speeding up the European integration of the Western Balkans “is a fundamental strategic interest of the EU”, Gál added. Regarding qualified majority voting, she said related proposals were “intolerable” and ran contrary to the EU’s basic treaties. Scrapping unanimous decision-making would gravely harm the sovereignty of member states, especially smaller ones, she said.