"It's a strange feeling to come from Hungary to Brussels because our country seems like a perfectly normal place where calm, rational thinking is taking place," PM Orbán said in his regular Friday morning interview. He compared this with the atmosphere in Brussels, where, according to him, leaders talk as if they were waging their own war against the Russians.
PM Orbán described the situation as a "war spiral" that leads to increasingly severe consequences, including discussions about stationing soldiers in Ukraine. "This is shocking to the Hungarian ear," he added, emphasizing the drastic change in attitude over a short period. "What was unimaginable two or three months ago has become commonplace today," he stated, highlighting the shift by Germany from sending helmets to discussing providing missile systems capable of targeting Russian territory.
The prime minister expressed his concern about the real-world consequences of decisions made in Brussels. "This is not a video game. This is reality. The consequence of each decision is that someone may die the next day. By now, hundreds of thousands have died. The decisions here create widows, orphans, ruined lives, and destroyed cities," PM Orbán said. He stressed the importance of dialogue and rational discourse, noting that "we must draw the line somewhere."
Prime Minister Orbán also voiced his opposition to what he perceives as George Soros's influence in Brussels, suggesting that the European Union is essentially in Soros's pocket. "The Soros network has infiltrated European institutions. The union gives them money to operate," he claimed, adding that this complicates the expression of European citizens' opinions.
On the subject of agriculture, PM Orbán sympathized with the anger of European farmers towards the importation of Ukrainian grain into the EU, which he argues undermines local farmers due to less stringent regulations in Ukraine. "We are making huge efforts to prevent our farmers from going bankrupt. But Brussels is deaf to this matter because it is in a war fever," he stated, calling for alignment in production requirements.
The prime minister also touched on domestic politics, criticizing the left's desire to engage Hungary in the conflict and emphasizing the importance of focusing on peace. "I've been thinking about whether we're approaching European politics correctly. It seems that the crucial question today is who supports peace and who supports war," he explained. The prime minister also highlighted the need for Brussels to send Hungary funds it is due without hindrance from the left, accusing left-wing representatives of working against the interests of Hungarian teachers and kindergarten teachers by potentially leading Brussels to withdraw funding.
Turning his attention to domestic matters, PM Orbán lamented the state of Budapest under the leadership of those affiliated with former socialist prime minister Ferenc Gyurcsány. "Looking at Budapest, it seems imprisoned. I know everyone who has ever worked for the leftist governments and is now sitting in the city's leadership," he remarked. PM Orbán expressed hope for a new mayor who could counter this trend and advocated for removing Gyurcsány's people from the city administration.