PM Orban: Hungary Continues Following Sensible Path + Video

The Hungarian prime minister also spoke about the Russia-Ukraine war and the new economic policy in his weekly Kossuth Radio interview.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban gives an interview to Kossuth Radio (Photo: PM's Press Office/Zoltan Fischer)

"Anyone who has been in the military knows how a day begins, and the night is darkest before dawn," Prime Minister Viktor Orban started his morning interview on Kossuth Radio, referring to the two months ahead before the inauguration of the new US President Donald Trump, and that this period is the most critical time of the Russia-Ukraine war, considering the significant risk of the situation escalating.

"We are now in the darkest hour, the two darkest months of the war,"

he stated. 

Ukraine is Hungary's next-door neighbor, we are not talking about the expansion of a conflict in a distant part of the world, but about a war in our immediate vicinity, which can rapidly have an impact on us, especially with Hungarians living in Transcarpathia, so the threat is imminent.

Viktor Orban also indicated that big changes will come starting on January 20, when Donald Trump takes office, but until then there are two months. Peace is within reach, but the outgoing US Democrats want to leave a difficult legacy for the new president.

Hungary continues to follow the policy of sensibility,

the PM said. The military context of the war had been reviewed with Hungary's Defense Council, along with whether the European Union has the capacity to encourage Ukraine to continue the war without the Americans. The situation is clear, Mr Orban said, if the Americans pull out, Europe is not in a position militarily to support Ukraine.

Sovereign foreign policy

The PM pointed out the significant risk that the taboo-crushing steps taken by Washington regarding the arming of Ukraine will have serious consequences for the Russian-Ukrainian war and the policies of certain European countries going forward. The collapse of the German government following the announcement of the US presidential election results was a clear indication of the foreign policy situation. Hungary is fortunately pursuing a sovereign foreign policy, but not everyone is in this position. Some European countries feel obliged to follow US foreign policy.

It's not a scam when the Russians modify their nuclear doctrine - there will be consequences. The Russian president also addressed the Federation's citizens in a video message, informing them that he felt mandated to take this step, Mr Orban stressed, warning that Hungary has to act according to the rules of common sense, otherwise there will be trouble.

"Hungary stands on the side of peace, despite pro-peace ideas seeming to vanish from the horizon of international politics." 

In his view, international institutions do not act prudently when making certain decisions. He called the International Criminal Court's decision against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blatantly brazen, in fact cynical, and said it is a move dressed up in a legal guise but actually intervening in an ongoing conflict for political purposes. "This could add fuel to the fire", Mr Orban added, saying, there is no choice but to counter this decision, and that he will send the Israeli prime minister an invitation to Budapest later today.

Patriots take a clear stance

With the Patriots for Europe, the third largest group in the European Parliament has been created, which sometimes takes raw but clear positions, the prime minister pointed out. One example is the issue of protection against migration.

Those who we don't want to admit should not be let in, and those who come against our will should be returned home,

Viktor Orban summed up their position. In his view, taking such positions can help to return to the era of raising problems openly in European politics. By the end of the term, the goal for the Patriots is to become the most influential and largest group in the European Parliament. And there are good prospects for this, the prime minister pointed out.

Three-year scheme for wage increase

In the context of the reality of economic neutrality and Eurasian cooperation, Mr Orban stressed that Eurasia means not only Russia, but also the Caucasus, China, India, Korea, and even Japan. At the same time, however, this kind of change in orientation can be difficult for the current Hungarian public midset, he noted. In his view, Europe has an organic geographical link with Asia, and this is the way to build a new silk road. Europe and Hungary need to be reoriented not only in economic, trade and investment policy, but also in the way we think, he said. He pointed out that 

in international politics you have as much influence as you have strength.

In his view, a completely new economic policy is needed for the time when the war is over. The new economic policy seeks to raise growth above the European average. This is based on economic neutrality. The new Economic Action Plan includes not only support for housing and help for small businesses, but also a wage strategy, he said.

When prices are high, raising wages is one way of providing protection, according to the prime minister. If no agreement is reached, the government has to step in with help. This has been done, and a three-year wage increase is coming.

Flood of vulgarity and coarseness

Viktor Orban said he has never seen anything like what happened recently in Hungarian public life. Open insults and contempt for people have become fashionable, he noted. In his view, those who criticize the national consultation survey are not interested in people's opinions. This is a kind of disdain, he pointed out. In his view, politicians with a posture that „we know everything better” have appeared. People’s mouths stink, people stink, some deputies are brain-dead, journalists should be pushed into the Danube, the prime minister said, listing the  scandalous statements that have come to light recently. 

Violence has appeared in Hungarian politics. In the past, politicians would apologize for such things and withdraw. Now we have a flood of vulgarity and coarseness, 

Viktor Orban said. He called it unprecedented that this should be the essence of political behavior. Verbal coarseness sooner or later leads to aggression, and it would be good to prevent this, the prime minister stressed.

In his last radio interview a week ago, the Hungarian prime minister said that things will happen in Hungary in 2025 that have never happened before. The prime minister has recently taken part in a number of events. At a meeting of the Permanent Hungarian Conference and at the Eurasia Forum, he spoke about the need for economic neutrality and new economic policy, and he was a surprise guest at the Paty stop of the national consultation tour.

Cover photo: Prime Minister Viktor Orban gives an interview to Kossuth Radio (Photo: PM's Press Office/Zoltan Fischer)