Máté Kulifai: Belgium plays a key role in this issue, as it’s where the largest proportion of Russian assets have been frozen. But it seems as if the country is in a bind, because on the one hand there’s pressure from von der Leyen and the European Union, and on the other hand it fears retaliation from Russia. How long do you think it can withstand this pressure, and which way will it ultimately tip? Have you spoken to the Belgian prime minister in recent days?
First of all, I thank God that we’re not responsible for governing Belgium. If there’s one job I don’t envy today, it’s probably that of the Belgian prime minister. He’s in a very difficult position because, on the one hand, it’s clear that what the EU wants to do is unacceptable and unprecedented from the point of view of international law and international practice – and, on top of that, they want to make Belgium do this. That’s the first problem, in which they don’t even agree in principle. The second is that they’d be the first to pay the financial price for this, given that the company that manages Russian assets is a Belgian company, managing assets of such magnitude that, if it collapses, it could bring down the entire Belgian economy. Thirdly, this company, this Belgian company, has assets in Russia. So if Russia takes retaliatory measures, they’ll primarily be directed against that company. We’re not talking about a small amount of money: the Belgian company Euroclear has assets of around 16 billion euros in Russia today. Furthermore, if the Russians invoke international law, and they announced yesterday or today that they’ll do so, no one trained in law can have any doubt that the Russians will win that international lawsuit. And if that’s the case, then someone will have to repay the confiscated Russian assets – either today, tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow. The party most liable for paying it back will be the one that signed the contract with the Russians for the safeguarding of these assets. It’s a Belgian company, and so the Belgians will be in big trouble. Incidentally, for some mysterious reason the Belgian prime minister sits next to me, and I often chat with him. We’re talking about the wittiest politician in Europe, who knows the meaning of black humour. He makes self-deprecating remarks that rival Budapest’s black humour. The other day, acknowledging this style, I congratulated him on taking over the baton from me: now I’m sitting back, ordering another coffee, as there I’m no longer Public Enemy Number 1, but instead it’s the Belgian prime minister, who’s under tremendous pressure and under fire from all sides. On all sides they’re trying to crush him. So far he’s stood up well, but given the size of the millstones being loaded on him, I wouldn’t advise making a big bet on his chances.