Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said the Hungarian government has no need for lectures from US Congress delegations on what should happen in Hungary, as only Hungarians can decide that.
Responding to a question regarding a visit to Hungary by a bipartisan US congress delegation, Minister Szijjártó told a press conference on the sidelines of a meeting of the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council that the delegation had not been received at a ministerial level, similarly to Hungarian delegations in the US. Earlier talks with similar delegations had resulted in “comprehensive lectures on how we should govern Hungary,” he said. Minister Szijjártó said the way Hungary should be governed was decided by Hungarians whose decisions the government implemented. “We do not need US congressional delegations to lecture us on what should and shouldn’t happen in Hungary.” The delegation’s press conference had also shown they wanted to discuss EU and internal matters rather than bilateral ones, he said. “None of those [issues] concern them.” Regarding European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s decision to run for re-election, Szijjarto said the EU’s competitiveness and security had “dramatically” deteriorated on her watch. “If … she is judged on merit, I think President Von der Leyen will be graded poorly at the end of her term,” he said. Minister Szijjártó also welcomed Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristensson’s decision to visit Budapest, adding that the meeting could further the Hungarian parliament’s ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership, “although the final date is still unknown”. He also praised Hungarian-Swedish defence cooperation, adding that Swedish companies “feel good in Hungary” and noting that the Hungarian Armed Forces fly Gripen aircraft.