“Anyone who has a bank card or digitally managed savings is at risk,” Viktor Orban said in his regular Friday morning interview on public radio, in reference to Ukrainian online scams. The Hungarian prime minister explained that these scams have existed for some time, previously written in broken Hungarian, but have since become more sophisticated. He emphasized the need for authorities to devote more energy to public awareness and assistance, adding that these scams have affected assets worth eight billion forints.
PM Orban spointed out that
efforts are being made to recover the stolen funds, and so far, 1.5 billion forints have been reclaimed.
The government will allocate additional financial resources to the police to involve more personnel in fraud prevention.
He highlighted that
eighty percent of online scams are linked to Ukrainian criminal groups, but the Hungarian police have effective means to act against international fraudsters. These criminal groups operate with a Ukrainian background, consist of Ukrainian people, they are based in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian mafia doesn’t only function in traditional ways but also runs sophisticated, modern, mafia-like operations, he said, stressing that
Ukraine is a dangerous country.
Regarding Ukraine becoming an EU member country, Viktor Orban remarked that such a move would primarily make things simpler for Ukraine, as its financial service providers would then receive the same treatment as those within the EU. However, combating their criminals would become more difficult.
The prime minister noted that so far, authorities have identified 169 suspects, with European arrest warrants having been issued against most of them, and the European arrest warrant system can help. However, as he put it,
it's better to keep the Ukrainians out.
Consultative Vote Voks 2025
Orban confirmed that
more than 1.6 million ballots were returned during the consultative vote Voks 2025.
The prime minister said that at the ongoing CPAC event, he observed from the perspective of the foreign guests in attendance that
the peoples of Europe agree that Ukraine's admission would cause problems.
Unlike in Hungary, it is not customary in Western Europe to ask the people about such issues because the elite reserves this decision-making right for itself, PM Orban said.
The Hungarian prime minister said that yesterday CPAC showcased the lineup of the entire Western world who will take over the governance of their respective countries. In his view, this movement is slowly but surely gaining a majority in Europe. There are more and more voices saying that
there is no place for Ukraine's fast-tracked EU accession.
PM Orban called CPAC an international fight club, meant to fight for truth and against lies. He argued that Brussels has responded to every crisis—financial, migration, COVID, energy, inflation—by stripping member states of their powers. Yet, it turned out that Brussels failed to resolve these crises. In his view,
Ukraine's membership is an excuse to take even more powers away from the member states and transfer them to Brussels.
"We must resist this, or we will suffer," he stated. Viktor Orban believes that while a growing number of people support resistance, they are not yet well-organized, which is why the patriots movement was founded—and it is gaining strength. He highlighted that one of the most serious issues is strengthening defense capabilities.
Since Russia is considered a threat,
we could easily get caught up in an arms race that would consume Hungarians' money
he opined. Viktor Orban believes that Hungary’s interest lies in a ceasefire and peace, followed by disarmament talks.
Ukraine's EU membership would be an act of economic suicide, with consequences that would ruin the European economy, and primarily the economies of neighboring countries,
he noted.
In his opinion, work must be done so that everyone has a job, but if workers arrive in large numbers, trouble will arise from that. But protecting the pension system and agriculture also demands that we say no to Ukraine's membership.
Extension of Markups Cap
The government has decided to extend the mandatory cap on markups for a range of products, despite retailers requesting its termination due to product shortages and the possibility that foreign suppliers could replace Hungarian ones if the measure remains.
Regarding the cap on markups, Viktor Orban stated that the regulation has fulfilled the hopes attached to it. Nevertheless, he also emphasized that the shock effect of high prices and inflation does not disappear overnight; people feel endangered, they are alert and protecting themselves.
Prices for 900 food items have been reduced, and the regulation was recently extended to drugstores, affecting 420 products.
It's better than it was, the problem is smaller,
said Viktor Orban. He highlighted that the government set a 10 percent markup cap for food products and 15 percent for drugstore products, adding that anything above this is an unjustified price increase.
"As If It Were Happening to Us"
Regarding the salt mine disaster in Praid [Parajd in Transylvania], Viktor Orban stated,
Praid is a part of Hungarians' national identity. Over the past 10–15 years, so many Hungarians have visited and come to love the place as their own that it feels as if it belonged to us.”
"What is happening there is as if it were happening to us," PM Orban stated, adding that not only the government, but also many people stand ready to help, but for now the situation is very difficult, almost hopeless.
PM Orban emphasized that
other areas, especially Haromszek and its surroundings, are also suffering and will need help.
Floods in the Haromszek region created a serious situation. In these places, waters one to two meters high stand in gardens and houses, so the Hungarians living there will need help.
Speaking about the political party representing ethnic Hungarians in Romania, Viktor Orban noted that the RMDSZ (Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania) is a well-organized party that promotes Hungarian interests, not only politically but economically, too. He said he was in contact with RMDSZ leader Hunor Kelemen and promised that
full support from the Hungarian government not only to Praid but to all Hungarians living there.
Cover photo: Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the studio of Kossuth Radio (Photo: MTI/Prime Minister’s General Department of Communication/Vivien Cher Benko)
