In an interview with Magyar Nemzet, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said: "We can and we will win the European parliamentary election."
“Brussels needs change,” PM Orbán said at a meeting of the ruling Fidesz-Christian Democrats’ parliamentary group in Balatonalmádi, in western Hungary, adding that Hungary would be punished under the European Union’s new migration pact unless the country was willing to accommodate migrants. He said the war in Ukraine would not end soon, while an increasing burden was weighing on Europe in the wake of diminishing US aid to Ukraine. “There is a huge political price for assisting Ukraine … farmers are protesting across Europe and soon nobody will believe in Ukraine’s victory,” PM Orbán said. Concerning Hungary’s opposition, PM Orbán said the leftist parties “represent Brussels in Hungary rather than representing Hungary in Brussels … they are mercenaries.” Meanwhile, referring to the recent resignations of Katalin Novák and Judit Varga, the former head of state and justice minister, respectively, he said their decisions had been “correct”. “The resignations will strengthen us … it has been made clear to everybody that on the national side, there is no pardon in child protection cases.” The daily also quoted PM Orbán as saying that the resignations “weren’t triggered by some problem but simply a mistake … nobody can be clever enough on their own, even in the highest positions”. According to the paper, PM Orbán concluded his speech by assessing the upcoming elections and tasks ahead. He said the government had struck an agreement with the EU concerning community funding and had raised the salaries of teachers and kindergarten staff. It has reached an agreement concerning wage rises in other sectors, paid a 13th-month pension to the elderly and reined in inflation. Concerning the European elections, he hoped both Brussels and Washington would see changes and “the European parliamentary and US presidential elections could at last bring hope to Europe”. “In nine months’ time we will be stronger than we are now … it is worth working because each EP mandate will add to the joint force that will help us in the 2026 national election,” PM Orbán said.