FM: Hungarian Government Says What It Does and Does What It Says

The Hungarian government has always been honest about its strategy and goals, something that's made possible by the unique political stability in our country. However, the room for reasoned debate in Europe has become extremely narrow, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said in Boston.

Fotó: MARTON_KIRALY

Similarly, the EU is not helping to expand the network in south-eastern Europe, and Croatia has increased its oil transit fees five-fold, he said.

Diversification without physical infrastructure is just a fairy tale,

 - he added.

Regarding the ratification of Sweden's NATO accession, Mr Szijjarto emphasized that the government had already tabled a proposal on the issue, but parliament has not yet put it on its agenda, because many MPs are offended that some Swedish politicians have for years been describing Hungary as a dictatorship with a government that is illegitimate, and now they're asking for a favor.

He said he found it insulting that Sweden has refused to make certain confidence-building gestures, with its prime minister traveling to Ankara but not to Budapest. He expressed hope that the Budapest visit would eventually happen, and that Stockholm would get the green light from Hungary's parliament at the end of February. 

FM Szijjarto also made mention of the fact that trade between the EU and China was worth an annual 865 billion euros last year, of which Hungary accounted for 1.2 per cent.  

He pointed out that Hungary had become a primary target for Chinese investment in Central Europe, something made possible by the German industry, as all three major German premium car brands have a manufacturing base in Hungary and are heavily dependent on their Chinese suppliers. 

Responding to questions from the audience, FM Szijjarto explained that he did not believe Russia would risk attacking a NATO ally, citing the principle of collective defense. 

Obviously, we are much stronger than Russia, NATO is much stronger than the Russian militarily,

- he underlined. 

It's easy to make various statements in Brussels or Washington, FM Szijjarto has said, adding that he also condemned the Ukraine war and called for an end to it when he spoke before a thousand-strong audience at the Russian Energy Week in Moscow.

Cover photo: Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto attends a debate at Harvard University (Photo: Facebook)