"The Hungarian nation is a peace- and freedom-loving one," the president said in an interview with Hir TV, stressing her hopes that "the more people our call for peace reaches, the greater its impact will be".
Katalin Novak recalled that "we have been living in the neighborhood of a devastating war for more than a year and a half" which has caused "the feeling of fear to seep in under our skin. It is no longer as palpable as when the initial shock hit us, but it is undeniably there".
Fate of Transcarpathian Hungarians to improve
During this Christmas season, the president asked the nation to direct their thoughts especially at the Hungarians in Transcarpathia, who at any time can expect a knock on their door to take their men to the front, and where families already torn apart are worrying about their loved ones on the frontline.
At times like these is when we can truly appreciate what a great, albeit extremely fragile treasure the peace that we enjoy here in Hungary is, and the imminent danger it is in even now.
"In spite of the divisions developing along rifts, we must accept the other person even if we do not agree with how they view the world," she said, pointing out that
"being able to respect each other makes it is easier to discuss points of disagreement with the intention of finding a compromise and understanding the points behind the other's opinion".
She believes that Hungarian communities outside of the country's borders are more closely knit, especially in times of difficulty, such as the situation Transcarpathian Hungarians face. Currently, there doesn't seem to be any sense of internal division there, she said, expressing the "hope that some kind of reconciliation will develop between Hungarians and Ukrainians in Transcarpathia, as this would be the key to their long-term and peaceful coexistence.
The responsibility of being Hungary's first female president
In Katalin Novak's view, being the first female president of the country comes with its own responsibility, but also serves as an inspiration for other women. Based on the feedback, she gives encouragement and is a sign to many that nothing is out of reach for a woman in Hungary today. She is confident that her openness to the world will enable more people in Hungary to feel that "I am also their president, as well".