"The budget requires complex knowledge. One needs to understand not only what is written in it, but also what is hidden between the lines," said Viktor Orban in his weekly Friday morning interview on Kossuth Radio's Good Morning, Hungary program. Speaking about the EU budget, the prime minister explained that at least 20 percent of Europeans' — including Hungarians' — money would go to Ukraine.
One needs to be aware that 10 to 12 percent of the budget is spent on interest repayments on loans jointly taken out earlier. Adding this up, thirty percent of the budget goes to things that weren't included in the previous one, he said.
"That’s why everyone in the European Union is shouting," he added.
The biggest problem with the budget is that it lacks a clear strategic foundation, PM Orban explained. If we don’t know what it’s for, it can’t be good, because first we have to define what goals we want to achieve with it. As he put it,
the EU budget has one obvious goal: to bring Ukraine into the EU and transfer these funds to Ukraine.
According to the prime minister, the right approach would be not to admit Ukraine, but instead to develop a cooperative relationship with the country.
What Will Happen to the Farmers?
He also said that uncertainty surrounds not only Ukraine but agriculture funding as well. PM Orban raised the question: what will happen to farmers if the EU stops supporting them in the future? He believes this budget won’t even survive into the next year. In his view, the European countries will not accept it.
According to the prime minister, the European Commission is moving money around in the budget in a confusing and complicated manner. He believes that the Commission has no vision for the future of European agriculture. It is doing all this because it wants to give the money to Ukraine. Viktor Orban said it is like migration: once we let it in, we cannot get rid of it. A country cannot be removed from the European Union, he said. If we admit a large country, we won’t be able to get rid of it, and from that point on, their economic problems become our economic problems. If it happens, the money will keep flowing there for decades, he said.
Unanimous Approval Needed for the Budget
The Hungarian prime minister noted that a very intense period is beginning, with thousands of people poring over the pages, and 27 countries beginning discussions among themselves and with the Commission. A negotiation process will follow, aiming to make the budget acceptable to everyone, because unanimous approval is required.
This is the budget of hopelessness,
PM Orban said, taking the view that the EU currently does not appear optimistic, but rather troubled, floundering, and preparing for stagnation.
The Death of Jozsef Sebestyen Is a European Issue Too
Viktor Orban said the Hungarian government surprised Brussels by requesting that three Ukrainian military leaders be placed on the EU sanctions list over the death of Jozsef Sebestyen. He highlighted that this is not just a Hungarian issue but a European one, since Jozsef Sebestyen was also a citizen of the European Union.
These are not isolated incidents. These are manhunts,
he emphasized. PM Orban explained that instead of citing Hungarian–Ukrainian bilateral relations as a reason for the EU to consider punishment, they are demanding that Ukrainian leaders responsible for these manhunts be placed on the sanctions list. He added that the sanctions that can be imposed on a bilateral basis, Hungary has already put in place regarding the three responsible individuals by banning them from Hungary.
The prime minister said Brussels’s silence is embarrassing. In Brussels, all he hears is how Ukraine has progressed on the path towards accession. The EU wants to communicate that Ukraine is not only ready but in fact “overripe” for membership. However, those who know Ukraine - for instance its neighbors—think differently, according to Hungay's PM.
Forced Conscription As Practice
According to Viktor Orban, the fact that Ukrainian conscription officers beat a man to death shows that the EU’s claims are false. He said this should be investigated in Brussels, but instead, they want to sweep the issue off the table. He stated:
The case of Jozsef Sebestyen is important to us, a matter of honor.
This has to be approached from the perspective of the human rights commissioner’s report, having the Tisza Party and the Ukrainians understand that it is not just Hungary saying this, but an EU commissioner, who wrote that this phenomenon is happening as a general practice.
Mr. Orban stated it is not new in Hungarian politics for some parties to always side with foreign interests. This is true for the Tisza Party and for the Democratic Coalition (DK) as well. It is a subordinate relationship, with parties that believe, accept and live by saying that “we Hungarians can never be right.”
Home Start Is a Safe Loan
The prime minister said that in the 2000s, banks and the Gyurcsany government lured people into foreign currency loans, and we had to rescue hundreds of thousands of families from these debts. Regarding the Home Start program, he noted it is a safe loan for those who take it. He advises young people to consider taking out the loan as an option.
It’s better than paying the same amount in rent,
he added.
Viktor Orban sees the program as a breakthrough, noting that state-subsidized interest rates can save tens of thousands of forints. A detailed, well-negotiated proposal is on the table. There is much for young people to study, he said. According to his calculations, if ten thousand homes are built, it could bring a one percent increase in the national GDP, and thirty to fifty thousand homes could easily be built annually.
Only Twelve Nations Have Sent People into Space
Speaking about Tibor Kapu’s mission, the prime minister said scientists have confirmed that the Hungarian astronaut conducted important and valuable research. But he also highlighted another perspective: only twelve nations in the world have sent humans into space, and Hungarians are among them. Finally, he emphasized:
"Gyula Cserenyi, our reserve astronaut, also deserves recognition for his work.”
Cover photo: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the studio of Kossuth Radio (Photo: Hungarian PM's Press Office/Vivien Cher Benko)
