Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has said that Europe’s fate is once again being decided at Bulgaria’s southern borders, and that the Bulgarians are helping to support Hungary's security efforts and defend the whole of Europe.
The prime minister made the comments after presenting Bulgarian prime minister Boyko Borissov with the Civil Division of the Hungarian Order of Merit.
The Bulgarian prime minister received the decoration in recognition of his efforts to promote the strengthening of the thousand-year-old Hungarian-Bulgarian friendship, and his actions aimed at protecting Europe’s southern borders, which are also crucial for Hungary’s security.
“We seek to make all our decisions serve the interests of our nations, because this is the only way to defend ourselves and Europe," PM Orbán said. He added that what Bulgaria is now doing is not specified as its obligation in any treaties, but is something which it is obliged to do by its history and its Christian values.
Europe’s southern borders must be protected once again, the prime minister said, and this task falls on those who not only have long histories, but also long memories.
The prime minister stressed that this is a valuable friendship between Hungary and Bulgaria, particularly as now “Europe is behaving like someone who has not learned anything from the past centuries, but forgotten everything”.
PM Orbán stated that it is a matter of pride and joy for Hungarians to honour Boyko Borissov with this state decoration, which speaks of Hungarian-Bulgarian friendship, and is also a tribute to an extraordinary political career.
Borissov said that Europe’s situation is becoming increasingly difficult. He pointed out that in times like this leaders such as PM Orbán, who are able to evaluate situations in a sober manner, are very important for Europe.
He said that the state honor he has received can be seen as an encouragement for all who understand the significance of protecting borders, and he therefore accepted it on behalf of all those who are currently working to protection the borders.