Thank you very much for your contributions. I would have been happy to engage in discussion with you on our Presidency programme, which I have presented here. But obviously you’re not interested in that. You’d like to stage a party-political intifada here, in which you recite all the Left’s false accusations against Hungary. What I’ve received from you is pure political propaganda. I won’t call you to account for that, because you’re parliamentary representatives and, after all, if that’s what you want. So be it!
I was surprised, however, by the comments made by the President of the Commission. There are undoubtedly differences of opinion between Hungary and the President of the Commission, which I deliberately didn’t mention, given that we’re doing our work for Europe within the framework of the Presidency. I think it’s unfortunate that the President is doing this: imposing differences of opinion on the work of the Presidency. I don’t think that’s right. I’m afraid I must refer back to an older memory. It was not like this in the past: here the President of the Commission would never have said the things that the President is saying now. That couldn’t have happened. This is because the Commission used to act as “the Guardian of the Treaty”, as described in the Treaty itself: a neutral body whose task was to act as the custodian of the Treaty. Its task was to put political disputes aside and deal with differences in the field of law. But unfortunately I see the President changing that and turning the Guardian of the Treaty into a political weapon: a political body which attacks us who are on the Right, patriots and European patriots. I think this is wrong.
In relation to the Presidency I’ve deliberately avoided talking about Ukraine, but if you want to talk about it, let’s talk about it. First of all, Madam President of the Commission, I reject what you said in the strongest possible terms. Any analogy or comparison made between the Hungarian freedom fighters of 1956 and Ukraine is erroneous, and a desecration of the memory of the Hungarian freedom fighters. There is nothing in common between ’56 and the Ukrainian–Russian war. So, on behalf of the Hungarian freedom fighters, I reject all such false and misleading historical analogies. But I’m happy to talk about the fact that there’s a sentence used in the Anglo–Saxon media that’s accepted by everyone – although I see that in Europe pro-war MEPs don’t accept it. This is what we read in the Anglo–Saxon press: if we want to win, we must first have the courage to admit that we’re losing. Because the fact is that on the Ukrainian front we’re losing. And here you’re pretending that this isn’t the case. The reality is that – thanks in part to the President of the Commission – the European Union has recklessly entered into this war, on the basis of miscalculations and with a flawed strategy. If we want to win, the current losing strategy must be changed. It’s a badly planned and badly executed strategy. If we continue on this path, we’ll lose. If we want to prevent Ukraine from losing, we need to change strategy. Therefore I suggest that you consider this. In every war there must be diplomatic activity, there must be communication, direct or indirect contacts. If we fail to do this, we’ll descend ever deeper into the pit of war. Ever more desperate situations will arise and ever more people will die – hundreds of thousands of people are dying, and in Ukraine thousands of people are dying as we speak. With this strategy there will be no solution to this conflict on the battlefield. This is why I suggest that instead you should stand for peace. Let’s argue for a ceasefire and let’s pursue a different strategy – because with this one we will all lose.
The Commission President’s accusation against Hungary that we’ve simply let out people smugglers is unfair. This is untrue! Hungary first arrests the people smugglers, and then, after some time, expels them from the country – on the understanding that if they return, they’ll have to stay in prison for twice as long. This is why they don’t come back. Madam President of the Commission, we have rid Europe of more than two thousand people smugglers – and so we should not be receiving criticism, but praise.
Several people – perhaps including Mr. Weber – have argued in favour of European unity. We are believers in “Unity in Diversity”. We shall never accept that European unity means you ordering us to shut up if we don’t like something. European unity does not mean that everyone who disagrees with the majority, or with the President of the Commission, has to shut up. In the Hungarian parliament the governing party has a two-thirds majority; but what you’ve performed, what you’ve done, could never happen there. Despite the fact that the governing party has a two-thirds majority, in Hungary all the opposition parties have always been given the committee positions that they’re entitled to. But you have deprived the Patriots of this! And you want to lecture us on democracy? What nonsense! President Weber said that nobody talks to us. This is a grave insult to those who have talked to us. This means they’re nobody. In preparation for the Presidency, I went to your Chancellor in Germany, to the President of France in Paris and to the Prime Minister of Italy in Rome. Are they nobodies? Are they the nobodies, Mr. Weber?
I regret to see the leader of the European People’s Party disregarding reality. He says that the Hungarian governing party didn’t win the European election in Hungary. We got 45 per cent! You in Germany got 30 per cent. So who won, Mr. Weber? And since you’re not afraid to make personal comments, allow me to make a personal comment. Anger is a bad adviser. We know the root of the conflict between us. In 2018 I played a major role in preventing you from being Commission President. I would have supported you, I promised to support you, but after that you said that you didn’t want to become President of the Commission with the vote of the Hungarians. Well, you didn’t! This is why you’re angry with me. You want to sit in the chair now occupied by Ursula von der Leyen. You’re not sitting there because of me, and that’s why you’re angry with me. But I can’t help that. I’m sorry that this conflict has turned you into a Hungarophobe, and because of that I can’t take your comments seriously. I strongly urge you not to involve your personal grievances in European debates.
With the greatest respect I must tell Representative Pérez that I’d be happy to debate with her, but in such a debate a little knowledge of the facts wouldn’t go amiss. In a debate, lack of knowledge is not an advantage. You accuse Hungary of having high taxes. We have a 15 per cent income tax rate, a flat rate tax. You say that the Hungarian economy is in trouble. We have twice the growth! Hungary’s economic growth is twice the EU average. And this is how you try to cast the Hungarian economy in a bad light? Don’t the facts count, Madam Representative?
I see that the French MEP representing Renew is offended by the Hungarian constitutional system. But accept that we have the right to our own constitution! You say that we discriminate against certain ethnic groups in Hungary according to their way of life. This is simply not true! The Hungarian Constitution gives everyone the right to live according to their own view of life. There’s one thing, however, that the Hungarian constitution undoubtedly does, and will continue to do, despite your displeasure with it: it protects families. The Hungarian Constitution protects the family, it protects children, it protects marriage. And indeed, in the Hungarian Constitution it says that marriage is between one man, and one woman. In fact it also says that a father is a man and a mother is a woman. We have the right to this rule. Do not try to deny us this, Madam Representative!
I must reject the corruption allegations levelled against Hungary. If you like, I can engage in a debate at a personal level, because we’re sitting in a body with expertise in corruption, aren’t we? Do you, does this body, seek to lecture any Member State on corruption? Are you serious?
One of the group leaders said that a lot of people are leaving Hungary. You’re not telling the truth! Proportionally there are as many Austrians working abroad as Hungarians working abroad. Are people escaping from Austria too? This is a false concept! It’s malicious propaganda.
As for EU money, I’d just like to tell you that we all know that 80 per cent of the money that goes to Hungary in the form of funding from the EU comes back to you. This means that 80 per cent of the funds given to Hungary is in the pockets of your companies! After this, are you criticising us for accepting EU funds? Is that logical?
As for the representative from the Left, you accuse us of being anti-union. This is unfair. We have an agreement with the trade unions. Most recently we agreed on a multiannual wage increase programme, we agreed on a minimum wage increase programme, and now we’re negotiating – with a good chance that we’ll agree – wage increase programmes for the coming years.
I didn’t bring the word “Nazi” into this discussion, but you did, saying that you’re an anti-fascist – which I respect. But now you’re speaking up for a German citizen who came to Hungary and violently attacked people walking in the streets, causing grievous bodily harm because they didn’t like someone else’s appearance. That’s Nazi behaviour! In Hungary you can’t attack people on the street for political reasons and then come to the European Parliament and say, “Get me out of jail because I’ve committed grievous bodily harm as a criminal in Hungary.” This is impossible! Please reconsider this, and don’t ask me to release criminals from prisons in Hungary.
The President of the Commission mentioned the number of Russians working in Hungary. Hypocrisy is at play here. There are 7,000 Russians working in Hungary; last year we issued 3,000 permits, and there are 7,000 in total. Mrs. von der Leyen is a German lady. What’s happening in Germany, Mrs. von der Leyen? There are 300,000 people working in Germany: 300,000 Russians! And you’re accusing me? President Pérez, there are 100,000 Russians working in Spain – 100,000 Russians in Spain! And you’re accusing me? In France there are 60,000 Russians, 60,000 Russians working there! And you’re criticising Hungary with our 7,000? Is this fair?
As far as economic relations are concerned, Hungary trades transparently. But what if I look at your countries? What I see is that many of the countries from which you come are trading covertly with the Russians through Asia, bypassing the sanctions. I’ll read out the numbers! The European Union exports a billion dollars more a month to certain Central Asian countries than it did before the Russia–Ukraine war. Why is this? This is how you avoid the sanctions! This is how German, French and Spanish companies avoid sanctions. You also talked about energy. Since the outbreak of the war, you Western countries have actually bought 8.5 billion dollars’ worth of Russian oil from Turkish or Indian refineries. And you’re criticising us? Eight and a half billion! This is hypocrisy! In 2023 you Westerners bought 44 per cent more Russian oil than a year earlier. The tax revenue your companies paid into Russia’s budget was 1.7 billion dollars. And you’re accusing us of friendship with Russia? Well, you’re financing it!
The fact is that I didn’t come here to confront you with these facts – I had no intention of doing that. I came here to present the programme of the Hungarian Presidency. I wanted to tell you that there’s a problem. I wanted to tell you, Honourable Group Leaders, that there’s a competitiveness problem, that there’s a migration problem, that we need to make changes, and that the Hungarian Presidency has some proposals which we’re discussing with the other heads of state and government – but for which we’d also like the support of the Parliament. This is why I came here. And you have turned this meeting into a party-political skirmish. This is something I deeply regret, but I’ll give as good as I get from any of you! If we’re attacked, I shall defend my country.
Thank you very much!