At the Brussels studio of the Hungarian public media, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán discussed the ongoing two-day summit of EU heads of state and government.
The main topic of contention at the summit is the proposed budget modification by the European Commission, which demands significant additional contributions from member states. PM Orbán called the EC’s request for billions of euros in additional contributions “absurd,” stating that basically "the European Commission announced that the money has run out, while we are halfway through the seven-year budget period, and the Commission is asking member states to contribute billions of euros beyond what was originally agreed upon."
On this, PM Orbán added that the European Commission must provide answers to where the money went and who is responsible for pushing the European Union to “the brink of financial collapse in two and a half to three years.”
According to the prime minister, the prevailing sentiment among EU leaders is that they are reluctant to provide additional resources to the EC, as leaders prioritize supporting their own citizens. He emphasized that no one came to the European Council meeting "to give more money to pay the bureaucrats of the European Union instead of the families and citizens at home who are in difficulty."
Prime Minister Orbán also pointed out that Hungary and Poland still have not received any support from the Recovery Fund, while the interest rates on the borrowed funds have increased. Despite this, the Commission is now requesting an additional €18-19 billion to cover the increased interest payments. Prime Minister Orbán noted that this request is unjustifiable and lacks fairness in the distribution of funds.
PM Orbán delved into the problem further, raising concerns over the allocation of funds to Ukraine. He questioned the effectiveness and accountability of the previously provided €70 billion, calling the whole ordeal “murky,” as “we do not know where that money went or why it wasn't sufficient.” The prime minister said there is an immediate need for clarity on how these funds were utilized and expressed doubts about the feasibility of providing another €50 billion.
Another issue raised by the budget proposal is the allocation of a significant sum of money intended to facilitate the arrival of migrants in Europe. Referring to the vehement debate sparked by the Commission’s mandatory migrant quota scheme on Thursday, PM Orbán said that "there was a war on migration in the negotiating room last night,” but it was "it was a struggle for freedom, not a rebellion." Recalling the events that lead to this, the prime minister stressed that proposals regarding migration can only be accepted with complete unanimity, but the recent proposal on mandatory migrant quotas was forced through the Council of Ministers, in a "coup-like" manner.
PM Orbán suggested that “there was a change in the leadership of the Soros empire, and that is why (the migrant relocation scheme) had to be.” He further warned that these new rules that the EC is imposing due to Soros’ influence would require Hungary to take in more than 10,000 migrants a year, basically creating a “migrant ghetto” within Hungary. Therefore, the prime minister declared that “we have no intention of implementing these decisions.”
Moving on to domestic topics, the prime minister reiterated that misguided sanctions imposed thanks to the war have raised energy prices, greatly affecting domestic prices. Because of this, significant achievements have been made in the development of solar energy.
PM Orbán stated that the goal is for Hungary not to be vulnerable in terms of energy prices and to enact measures to fight inflation. He noted that the government has made several decisions in this area, and the aim is to have single-digit inflation by the end of the year. The prime minister added that this “was laughed at a few months ago,” but inflation is moving downward, and while “we have had a very challenging seven to eight months,” in the second half of the year, “wages will grow faster than prices.”