Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has said that both the Hungarians and the Poles deserve more respect from former and current leaders of the United States.
He was responding to a recent accusation from former US President Bill Clinton, who said that Poland and Hungary “want Putin-like leadership”.
The prime minister suggested that "the best way to understand what was said and why is to look at the US electoral campaign. Despite this, a lack of respect is still a lack of respect, and an insult is still an insult." He added that he expects more respect from the United States.
The prime minister also said that he approves of the response from Jarosław Kaczynski, president of Poland’s governing Law and Justice Party (PiS), who implied that Bill Clinton should seek medical help.
At the same time, the prime minister takes the view that the negative comments made about Hungary, Poland and Central Europe in general – which have multiplied since the onset of the migrant crisis – are not mere slips of the tongue.
He said that “behind the leaders of the Democratic Party […] we need to recognise the figure of George Soros”, the investor, activist and political donor who has proclaimed that at least one million Muslims should be let into Europe annually. Mr. Orbán stressed that Hungary is an obstacle to this Soros-inspired American plan, which “will not be implemented here as long as Hungary has a government of national interest” He said that “the mouth belongs to Clinton, but the words belong to George Soros”.
The prime minister also added that the strength of the Hungarian opposition cannot match the political influence of the organizations financed by Mr. Soros, which constitute “a background power”.
Regarding the Poles, Prime Minister Orbán repeated his opinion that they are being treated unfairly and are being insulted by Brussels.
“In Brussels they might see themselves as big boys, but Brussels will never win this battle against the Poles," he said
Concerning the Hungarian referendum on the mandatory resettlement quota, he said that it is the only thing that cannot be ignored – even in Brussels. In his view, if the Hungarian referendum proves to be successful, Brussels will back down.
The Prime Minister said that the Hungarian government wants a democratic European Union, whose internal relations, day-to-day rules, ethnic composition and culture are determined by the European people, rather than by a bureaucratic Brussels elite which is at present acting against the will of the European people.
He added that he regards uncontrolled immigration as a security issue, rather than as a human rights question. “No one wants to give the keys to their home to complete strangers”, he said. In his view, if Hungary allowed the settlement of migrants, ten or twenty years from now we would not recognise Budapest or other cities in Hungary.
The prime minister also pointed out that slowly but surely Germany and Central Europe are becoming the core of the EU, as without this region the European Union’s economic performance would not grow year on year, but would decline.
Regarding the continent’s demographic situation, he said that we must ask whether Europe wants to take part in a demographic race. “Why should our population grow at the same rate as other countries in the world?” he asked. In his view, Europe is liveable, viable and sustainable with its current population – or even with slightly lower population figures.
It is true, he said, that it would be better if there were more young people, but this can only be achieved through effective family policy. In Hungary, “if we find the economic means to help families see that they can flourish – even with two, three, four or five children – they will, I think, set out on this path…But you should not judge me or us on this after just a few years. We will need another term or two in office to achieve this," the prime minister concluded.