PM Orban Greeted by Cheers and Applause in Pontida

Cheering crowds welcome the Hungarian PM in Pontida. "Brussels must be occupied, taken back from the bureaucrats and given back to the people of Europe," Viktor Orban said.

Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban(Photo: Piero Cruciatti/AFP)

Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini welcomed Prime Minister Viktor Orban with a warm hug at the Lega party event in Pontida on Sunday. The Hungarian prime minister's speech was interrupted several times by thunderous applause from the Italian right-wing audience.

In the northern Italy town, Mr Orban conveyed the greetings of Hungary and Hungarians to Mr Salvini, saying that

In Hungary, we consider Salvini a hero for defending the borders. In fact, he was also defending Europe, and for that he deserves to be honored, not criminally prosecuted.

He called what is being done to Salvini and his party in Italy a disgrace, adding it is disgraceful of the Left and for Europe as a whole.

🇭🇺 @PM_ViktorOrban: Noi, in Ungheria, festeggiamo Salvini come un eroe perché ha chiuso i confini e ha difeso le case degli italiani e degli europei. Meriterebbe un'onorificenza, non un procedimento penale! Quello che è in corso contro il vostro partito è una vergogna della… pic.twitter.com/1XAo9gwKRL

— Matteo Salvini (@matteosalvinimi) October 6, 2024

Freedom pulses in the veins of both nations, the Hungarian prime minister said, referring to the memory of the heroes of the 1848 War of Independence, which included Italian and Hungarian soldiers fighting side-by-side.

The Italians and the Hungarians are freedom fighters, and we are their heirs, we will never surrender, we will never give up our freedom, we will never relinquish our country to foreigners,

stated Mr Orban, whose speech was interrupted by outbursts of audience applause. 

We will not hand it over to Brussels bureaucrats, to global financial powers nor to migrants. Italy belongs to the Italians and Hungary to the Hungarians,

the PM stressed.  

🇭🇺 @PM_ViktorOrban: Noi non cediamo i nostri Paesi né ai burocrati di Bruxelles, né alle multinazionali straniere, né ai migranti.
L’Italia è degli italiani, così come l’Ungheria è degli ungheresi.#Pontida24 pic.twitter.com/ay3XgidYwD

— Matteo Salvini (@matteosalvinimi) October 6, 2024

Mr Orban also shared his experience with the Italian crowd and spoke about the Hungarian example, pointing out that today Europe is awash with a sea of left-wing politics.

We live surrounded by an ocean of left-wing hegemony. But Hungary is an island, a unique island that has been fighting the international Left for 14 years and fighting successfully. The mission of Hungarians today is to defeat the Left, and Hungary has proven this five times. It has proved that patriots can govern successfully, more successfully than the left.

The Hungarian prime minister also stressed that Hungary's government will not allow the institution of marriage to be turned into a joke and people who love families made out to be clowns. He said that without families there is no future. He cited the text of the Hungarian Constitution, which says that marriage is between a man and a woman, and also explicitly states that the father is a man and the mother is a woman. The excerpt from the constitution was also received with a huge cheer from the audience.

On the state of public security, Mr Orban said that Hungary had beaten back crime and locked up criminals, making it the safest country. The most important example he can give to the Italians, however, is the success achieved in migration policy, the PM said. Hungary has not let illegal immigrants in, the borders are being protected, and crossing borders without permission is a criminal offence. Applicants must wait outside the border for permission to enter the country.

The Hungarian achievement of zero illegal immigrants in the country were met with ovations of approval.

The Hungarian leader reiterated that he would not stand for handing over the country and would not let them change our culture.

Hungary is our homeland, and we want to feel at home in our homeland,

he stressed.

On European Union policies, he said that the European Left and Brussels bureaucrats are jointly punishing Hungary. 

We've been fined €200 million and we are paying a further €1 million every day because we refuse to let migrants in. The Brusselites are punishing us because we are protecting Europe. This is a disgrace on Brussels,

Viktor Orban stated, saying if the penalization of Hungarians continues, his plan is to transport the migrants directly to the offices of Brusselites. So if they want migrants, they will get them.

– Baj van – jelentette ki a magyar kormányfő. Mint fogalmazott:

Mr Orban encouraged his Italian friends, by saying if the Hungarians could do it, then big, strong and rich Italy can do it too. He called on those present to be brave and follow great leaders like Matteo Salvini. He added that he attended the event in person because he wanted to speak to them about a common Europe of patriots.

"There is a problem," the Hungarian PM said, noting that

Europe is in trouble, it's a worse place than it was ten years ago. The streets have become more dangerous, migrants are causing peaceful Europeans to live in fear. They have no respect for the law or the police.

He expressed concern about the future. He also pointed out that the European Union was established to maintain peace, but today there is a war between Ukraine and Russia, and Brussels has become a belligerent instead of a peacemaker. Meanwhile, bureaucrats are destroying the European economy.

He said that the European Left has made a mess of everything, and they are not serving the interests of European people, but those of others. The future of Europe hangs in the balance. 

He regretted that in the European Parliament they are depriving the patriots of Europe of their rights. They are persecuting homeland-loving, patriotic and sovereignist people and even providing funds to Leftists who are fighting against patriots.

He stressed that

We must not withdraw from Brussels but must march in. Brussels must be occupied and given to the people of Europe.

Finally, he called on the Italians to join forces. 

"The people of Italy took the first step by forming a center-right government, next was the Netherlands, then the patriots in Austria and the Czech Republic won, and the Patriots for Europe EP group was formed. The way forward is to continue on the path of strengthening the European Right," he said, expressing confidence that at the end of the struggle, the Patriots will be the biggest political force in Europe. Their goal is to make Europe great, prosperous and free again.

Avanti Ragazzi di Buda, avanti ragazzi di Lega, that is, onward Buda boys, onward Lega boys.

Cover photo: Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini and Hungarian Prime minister Viktor Orban in Pontida (Photo: AFP)