Miklos Szantho: Hungary's strategy for 1100 years

In a presentation at Tranzit Festival on Saturday, Miklos Szantho discussed the changing world order, Hungary's future place in it, and the role of great powers, in a panel with Szabolcs Takacs, Hungarian Ambassador in Washington, and Levente Horvath, Director of the Eurasia Centre at Janos Neumann University.

Mr Szantho, the Director General of the Center For Fundamental Rights said that the hegemonic role of the United States is weakening and new powers such as China are emerging or returning to the geopolitical stage.

In this situation, Hungary's goal can only be to choose interconnectedness instead of political blocs, and to selfishly assert only Hungarian interests and not to try to satisfy external power centers, he said.

Talking about the Western response to the Russian aggression in Ukraine, the sanctions and the policy of disengagement, Mr Szantho said that the worst possible strategy is to drive Russia into China's arms, but we still see that happening.

The globalist left in the US and Europe has made several unforced errors in recent years that have weakened the West's global position, he added.

Brussels does not have a concept of Europe's place in the changing world order. There is no sign of a well-thought-out strategy for Europe's future, and the 'eurocrats' do not represent European interests, he opined.

Only Hungary, that is on the side of peace, represents the true interests of the EU. That is why it is important for Hungary to preserve its sovereignty and maintain its economic relations with both the West and the East, he stressed.

This also means

not allowing ourselves to be pushed into situations where we have to choose between one bloc or the other," he noted.

he noted.

Cover photo: Miklos Szantho at the Tranzit Festival (Photo: MTI/Bolgarka Bodnar)