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PM Orbán: It would be "foolish" to shame Hungary as it has the highest growth rate in the EU

PM Orbán said Hungary has the fastest-declining unemployment rate in the EU; it complies with all European financial regulations and its public debt is decreasing

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has said that it would be “foolish” to shame Hungary, as it currently has the highest or second highest growth rate in the European Union.

The prime minister made the remarks during an official visit to German carmaker Daimler’s general assembly meeting in Budapest on Thursday morning.

PM Orbán said Hungary has the fastest-declining unemployment rate in the EU; it complies with all European financial regulations and its public debt is decreasing. He said it was time to concede that Europe’s economy would not be strong without successful European national economies.

According to MTI, the 2008-2009 financial crisis was not about economic cycles but a structural crisis, a crisis of competitiveness, therefore the response should be given in the latter dimension.

PM Orbán said two key components needed to guarantee Europe’s competitiveness — a successful Germany and successful central Europe — were already in place. “A reformed France and an Italy with strong political leadership are still needed,” he added.

He concluded that it would be important for Britain’s divorce talks with the EU to end in a “win-win situation”, adding, however, that the current state of negotiations pointed to a “lose-lose” situation.