The Weight of Words – Key Takeaways from Kinga Kollar’s Scandalous Speech + Video

"Treasonous", “Oszod speech”, "infuriating" – these are just a few of the labels being attached to the speech delivered this week by Kinga Kollar, MEP of the Tisza Party, which has caused an uproar in Hungarian public life. Her words triggered backlash from both sides of the political spectrum — even Prime Minister Viktor Orban addressed the issue. The outrage has reached the point that right-wing forces are organizing a protest this afternoon, where Gergely Gulyas, Minister heading the Prime Minister's Office is also set to speak. But what exactly did Kinga Kollar say that is being compared to ex-Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany’s infamous “Oszod speech”? Here’s everything you need to know about the controversy.

Borítókép: Kollár Kinga és Magyar Péter (Forrás: Facebook)

Every decent Hungarian was in collective shock when the speech by Kinga Kollar — an MEP from the Tisza Party — came to light, in which she seemingly rejoiced at Hungarians’ worsening quality of life. Many right-wing journalists and politicians have already begun comparing her statements to the former PM Ferenc Gyurcsany’s explosive and politically damning 2006 "Oszod speech". The current government even goes so far as to call it an admission of guilt by the Tisza Party. But why do so many believe what Peter Magyar and his associates are doing is bordering on treason? Kollar’s own words speak for themselves, they say.

Kinga Kollar, MEP of the Tisza Party (Photo: MTI/Tamas Purger)

It is worth recalling that in a Brussels committee meeting, Kollar stated the withholding of EU funds was “working well and is effective” because it hampers Hungary’s economic development and delays investments and hospital renovations. She added that a “positive side” of this is that deteriorating living conditions are strengthening the opposition.

The Tisza Party’s “Oszod Speech”

At the committee meeting Kollar said, "As a Hungarian, I have to say that it [the rule-of-law procedure] has been very effective, because approximately 21 billion euros have been suspended, and one billion of that is already lost by the Hungarians themselves. And it has had a very serious impact on the Hungarian State, as it cannot invest in public infrastructure. Of course, it cannot support the Hungarian economy or provide basic social services to its people. I mean, just to highlight a few examples, money from the RRF, 50 hospitals could have been renovated, which did not happen."

She then reiterated: “So you can actually say that the conditionality regulation has been very effective and had a very effective impact on the everyday lives of Hungarian people; it very effectively influences the everyday lives of Hungarians." The opposition Tisza Party MEP then gave a political assessment, saying, 

"On the positive side, the deteriorating standard of living has actually strengthened the opposition. And there I am very positive about 2026 elections."

 

Words Have Weight

Kollar’s remarks caused a political storm in Hungary, and many expected the topic to arise during Thursday’s weekly government press briefing. Minister Gergely Gulyas commented that this was a new low in the “treason competition.”

“The question is, what is politics for? To find good solutions for the country. Yet, from what we see in the Tisza Party, it doesn't bother them if something is bad for the country, as long as it is good for them. Power matters more to them than the country's interests. That’s clearly evident from the recording of the speech,” Gulyas said, commenting:

"The only reason I wouldn’t necessarily call it treason is because there’s no indication that Hungary is even the MEP's homeland.”

He continued that in any normal party, a politician making such statements would have been dismissed long ago — but the problem is, the Tisza Party agrees with her view.

Viktor Orban: “They Should Exit Public Life”

Even Prime Minister Viktor Orban weighed in on the matter. On social media, he dedicated a post to the Tisza Party politician, writing:

Those working against Hungarians in Brussels should be excluded from Hungarian public life!”

In his weekly Friday morning Kossuth Radio inteview, PM Orban elaborated: “The Tisza Party members are not only not ashamed of working against their own country — they’re proud of it. That’s their goal, and they’re happy if things go badly in Hungary, because they say it benefits the opposition,” and helps them to power. 

The prime minister stressed that politics is not about power but about the country - serving the country and the people of Hungary. “Someone who would do anything for power and money can never be trusted,” he stressed.

Protest Against the Tisza Party

Public sentiment has grown so heated against the Tisza Party that Magyar Nemzet columnist Zsolt Bayer, on behalf of civil organizations COF-COKA, announced a protest:

Today, Saturday, at 3pm at the corner of Lovohaz Street and Millenaris, in Buda,

in front of the European Commission’s representation in Hungary. Last summer there was also a demonstration here to protest the European Court's excessively harsh ruling penalizing Hungary.

Speakers will include: Bence Apati, Zsolt Bayer, Gergely Gulyas (Minister heading the Prime Minister's Office)

Laszlo Csizmadia, President of COF-COKA, stated that the Civil Union Forum encourages all patriots to consider declaring any public figure who incites against Hungary — like MEP Kinga Kollar — a persona non grata. The event's slogan:

"Our homeland is not for sale — enough, profiteers!”

 

Kinga Kollar: Hungarians Are a Brainwashed People

Though Kinga Kollar has given few interviews since being elected MEP in June last year, she previously managed to offend many when she claimed that Hungarians are a brainwashed people, Mandiner reported. On her Facebook page last May, she responded to a comment saying:

“Unfortunately, until the education system changes, we’ll remain just as brainwashed a nation as the Russians. I am, however, very grateful to the Ukrainians and the Americans for stopping the Russians, otherwise they could have easily marched into Hungary. Because the Hungarian military wouldn’t have been able to hold them back.”

Cover photo: Tisza Party MEP Kinga Kollar and party chief and MEP Peter Magyar (Soure: Facebook)