Viktor Orban Is Most Consequential Leader in Europe

The Hungarian prime minister has the courage to openly take a stand, even if he is at odds with all the other leaders in the European Council, the Romanian historian told the Transylvanian portal Maszol in an interview.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (second from left) is received by Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu (right) in Bucharest on July 26, 2024. Hunor Kelemen (left), president of the Hungarian Democratic Alliance of Romania (RMDSZ/UDMR) (Photo: MTI/Hungarian Prime Minister's Press Office/ Zoltan Fischer)

Valentin Stan said that he maintains his previously stated view that the Hungarian prime minister is currently the most consequential leader in Europe.

This is a struggle for peace and for equality within the system, where Hungarians, Romanians and other European peoples are not discriminated against. Everyone's interests must be taken into account in Brussels, but this is not the case in the institutionalized European Union. Until that happens, we are talking about a fiction,

the political analyst and journalist said. 

 Laszlo Tokes (right), president of the Hungarian National Council of Transylvania (EMNT/CNMT), speaks before Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's (center) speech at the 33rd Balvanyos Summer Free University and Student Camp (Tusvanyos) in Baile Tusnad, Transylvania, on J uly 27,2024. Zsolt Nemethl (left), Fidesz chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Hungarian National Assembly (Photo: MTI/ Nandor Veres)

The analyst also criticized the Romanian government, which he believes does not agree with what Viktor Orban is doing.

The Romanian government does what it has always done: it executes orders perfectly and immediately. That is not what Orban does. We should not expect Viktor Orban to necessarily be a popular figure among Romanians under these circumstances. But more and more people in Europe and in Romania are understanding exactly what he is doing, and they support it,

Stan noted.  

In Baile Tusnad, at one of the events at the 33rd Balvanyos Summer Free University and Student Camp (Tusvanyos), the historian spoke about how Europe today is fueling a conflict in which thousands are dying every day. The question, he said, is: ''when was Europe mistaken?' Was it when, during the destructive conflict in former Yugoslavia in the 1990s when the EU banned the transfer of any arms to the parties in the conflict to give peace a chance; or is it mistaken now, when many European leaders support the transfer of military equipment to one of the parties?

In an earlier interview with MTVA, Valentin Stan called the Szeklers' demand in for autonomy in Transylvania legitimate, but - as he stressed - they have to convince the Romanian people of this and not each other.

Cover photo: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (second from left) is received by Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu (right) in Bucharest on July 26, 2024.  Hunor Kelemen (left), president of the Hungarian Democratic Alliance of Romania (RMDSZ/UDMR) (Photo: MTI/Hungarian Prime Minister's Press Office/ Zoltan Fischer)