Budapest, February 1, 2024 - At today’s press conference, Gergely Gulyás, the minister heading the Prime Minister's Office, shed light on key aspects of Hungary's foreign and domestic policies, with specific emphasis on its relations with Italy and Sweden.
Regarding the relationship between Hungary and Italy, Minister Gulyás stated that "the relationship between Orbán Viktor and Giorgia Meloni has always been good," and highlighted the ongoing mutual respect and cooperation between the two nations.
Countering the current negative portrayals in the Italian media, the minister noted that "outright lies have appeared in the Italian press" regarding the case of Ilaria Salis, who is currently on trial as a suspect in organizing and participating in ideologically motivated beatings in Hungary last year.
Minister Gulyás reassured that, despite the claims of the leftist publications, the Hungarian government has upheld respect for human dignity in its handling of the matter.
The minister also touched upon Hungary's diplomatic relations with Sweden, specifically addressing the topic of Sweden's NATO accession.
Reminding that the Swedish Prime Minister has received an invitation to Budapest, Minister Gulyás expressed the Hungarian government's support for this accession, mentioning that it has been presented for ratification to the National Assembly. However, he reiterated that the decision regarding Sweden's NATO accession rests with the governing party's factions, not solely with the government, adding that if the government had erred, it was prematurely promising something about the ratification that was beyond its immediate capacity to fulfill.
Furthermore, Minister Gulyás noted that "the lack of trust was initiated by the Swedes, and it's their task to address it," clarifying that Hungary has neither engaged in blackmail nor set conditions regarding this matter and emphasized the importance of confidence-building steps to ensure the necessary parliamentary majority for voting.
In addition to international relations, Gulyás briefly gave some domestic policy updates, including a significant salary increase for teachers, underscoring the Hungarian government's commitment to improving education. The continuation of the SMA newborn screening program in healthcare was also noted, reflecting ongoing efforts in public health.