Central Europe is a living, real geopolitical entity, said Miklos Szantho, director general of the Center for Fundamental Rights, at the Central European Summit. Unlike the previous administration under the Democrats, the Trump administration pays special, positive, and friendly attention to the region, he added.
What was once known as Western Europe is now found in the heart of Europe,
he said.
"The American conservative mindset overlaps most with that of Central Europe. Suffice it to say, God, homeland, family," he emphasized.
He agreed with Vice President J. D. Vance that the greatest threat to Europe comes from within—when it turns against its own values. "What is the leadership of the European Union trying to protect: true democracy or barely manageable political instability?" he asked.
He listed several examples, saying the Western elite complicitly endorses undemocratic practices: in France, the most likely presidential candidate is banned from running; in Germany, the second strongest party is put in quarantine; and in Romania, an election result with an unfavorable outcome is simply annulled. Meanwhile, Brussels uses financial blackmail against Hungary to strengthen the opposition.
Conservative forces across Europe—from the Seine to the Danube—are connected by the intention to stop migration, the rejection of gender ideology and the will for peace, he argued.
I believe that in the struggle between globalists and sovereigntists, Washington and Hungary are on the same side today,
Miklos Szantho concluded.
Peter Torcsi, head of the Oeconomus Economic Research Institute, said that Europe is in trouble—not only because of the tariffs and the war, but also because it has not managed to recover from the 2008 crisis after nearly two decades. Instead of boosting the economy, Europe has opted for ideology-driven regulation.
Central Europe has lived through planned economies and is therefore deeply committed to economic freedom. A politically, economically, and culturally homogeneous region has been successfully developed here,
he said.
Trump’s tariffs pose a real challenge, but what shocked Central Europe wasn’t the tariffs themselves, but how much they shocked the Western European elite. We here were prepared for this, and we knew we need to find responses.
Strong leadership and an agreement between America and Europe are needed,
he emphasized.
To this end, Central Europe must have a central seat at the negotiating table, he pointed out.
If this can be achieved, both sides of the Atlantic could enter a new golden age,
Peter Torcsi concluded.
Cover photo: Miklos Szantho, director general of the Center for Fundamental Rights (Photo: Istvan Mirko)
