Hungary FM Reveals Details of Tragedy in Kenya

Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto was the guest on Wednesday’s edition of The Fighters' Hour, where he discussed the tragic plane crash in Kenya that claimed the lives of eight Hungarian citizens. He also warned of the economic dangers the Tisza Party's plans pose for pensioners, advising them to vote for Fidesz if they don't want to be disrespected and their pensions to be taxed, cut or wiped away entirely. The Foreign Minister spoke of Europe's accelerating march toward war, but reaffirmed that as long as the current nation-minded government stays in power, Hungarian soldiers, funding and weapons will not be sent to Ukraine.

Peter Szijjarto, Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, speaks at the inauguration ceremony of Shinheung SEC EU Ltd.’s new investment in Monor, October 17, 2025. (Photo: MTI / Noemi Bruzak)

On Balazs Nemeth's Fighters' Hour program, Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Peter Szijjarto made announcements on foreign policy issues important to Hungary. The Minister emphasized that Europe is still preparing for war, but he also revealed details of the upcoming Trump-Orban meeting.

Peter Szijjarto, Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister of Hungary, speaks at the opening of the Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security, October 28, 2025 (Photo: MTI/KKM)

Szijjarto confirmed that eight Hungarians — two families and a companion, including two children — were killed on a domestic Kenyan flight that crashed shortly after takeoff.

This is one of the saddest and most difficult parts of diplomatic work: when Hungarians abroad lose their lives. The group, including two children, were on a domestic flight to a popular inland tourist attraction, booked with a Kenyan travel agency, when the tragedy occurred. The plane crashed shortly after takeoff. We were notified by the Kenyan Ministry of Transport as well as the Foreign Ministry of the tragedy and that there were no survivors. We received copies of the victims' passports and have notified loved ones.

"Our task now is to assist in the identification and repatriation of the victims' remains according to the families’ wishes. We arrange for family members to travel to the site if they desire, but no such request has arrived.”

He added: 

A Hungarian consul is already on the scene to ensure constant communication with local authorities and the victims’ relatives. A personal presence in such instances is always more effective and reassuring for loved ones. These tasks are always the most heartbreaking.

Tisza Will Slash Pensions

“If Pensioners Don’t Want Their Benefits Cut, They Should Vote for Fidesz”

Turning to domestic politics, FM Szijjarto warned that the opposition Tisza Party would cut, tax, or even eliminate pension benefits.

“The Tisza Party doesn’t think the 13th-month pension is fair — they completely reject the idea of a 14th-month pension,” he said. “So it’s perfectly clear: pensioners would be among the biggest losers if Tisza came to power.”

It is pensioners who have carried this country on their backs in recent years, as they have worked hard and now that they have become pensioners, their past achievements must be recognized. We must recognize that they worked very hard to enable this country to rebuild itself after the difficulties of recent decades.

The Foreign Minister stressed that Hungary’s elderly deserve respect and recognition for their lifelong work, saying the left’s rhetoric toward them is “shocking and disrespectful". “If pensioners want to keep their pensions intact — untaxed, undiminished - and to be treated with dignity — they should vote for Fidesz,” he declared.

Peter Szijjarto remarked: Governing does not consist of the previous government resigning. This is great for an election campaign, and for the current government to get out of the way.

Governance consists of decisions, measures, strategy, economic policy, pension policy, health policy, and it is clear that they either have no idea about this or have plans that they feel would be better to keep secret until after the elections,

the Minister said.

He emphasized: So the bottom line is that if they want to take away pensions, raise taxes, take away home ownership loan subsidies, and reduce family support, then who is going to vote for them? Obviously, they are trying to keep this secret so that their plans don't come to light.

This has happened before in Hungarian history, not so long ago, less than 20 years ago, when Ferenc Gyurcsany and his colleagues chose this tactic. They announced it after the election, not before, that they had actually kept their plans secret, and the effects of this are clear to see. The country bore the burden of Gyurcsany's lies in 2006 for many years,

he said.

Democracy Mocked in Poland

What is happening in Poland today is nothing short of a systematic dismantling of the rule of law. Democracy there is being openly mocked. Opposition lawmakers have been dragged from the presidential palace and thrown into prison, and after a while, authorities even wanted to force-feed them—if memory serves, through the nose. This too was discussed in the program, as was the fact that at the time, the Polish public broadcaster’s live feed was suddenly cut off.

This is a country where the prime minister publicly announces court verdicts before they are handed down. Now, let’s think about that for a moment. The European Union has launched infringement procedures against Hungary, claiming our judiciary isn’t independent enough. Yet in Poland, the head of government literally pronounces the outcome of court cases, and no one in Brussels bats an eye.

I can’t recall a single case over the past fifteen years where, in a dispute involving a Fidesz MP and an opposition lawmaker, the court consistently ruled in favor of the Fidesz side. If anything, the opposite has been true—courts have handed down convictions against members of the governing party. And still, it is Hungary that faces constant legal action from Brussels. 

Meanwhile in Poland, the prime minister announces verdicts in advance, courts deliver accordingly, and everyone applauds—while the government defends a terrorist who, because he didn’t like the Nord Stream pipeline, simply blew it up. And what do the Polish authorities say? 'Well, it shouldn’t have been built in the first place'.

This is today’s Polish government. And in Brussels, they give standing ovations, cheering in euphoria over what they call Poland’s “fantastic leadership” — simply because Warsaw finally turns its back on Budapest.

Donald Tusk’s Alliance with Hungary’s Left

It’s now obvious there’s a close cooperation between Donald Tusk and the Hungarian opposition Tisza Party. We’ve seen talk of joint strategies, “victory plans,” and consultations between them. History is repeating itself. Donald Tusk has already tried once to help the Hungarian left win an election — back when another “anointed savior” led the opposition alliance. His name was Peter Marki-Zay, perhaps less remembered today, but at the time he was the supposed “miracle weapon” destined to bring a great victory for the left. The unified opposition parties believed in it so much that they invited Tusk himself to give a speech. He came, delivered his address, played the role of the “star guest.” The result? The opposition suffered such a devastating defeat at the last parliamentary elections that "it could be seen from the moon"to quote from the Prime Minister in his victory speech.

So I sincerely hope Donald Tusk will once again take an active role in this campaign as well.

 

The EPP Is Pro-War

At the so-called “pro-war march” led by Peter Magyar on October 23rd, one of the Polish MEPs from the European People’s Party (EPP) also turned up. His main political mission, according to reports, is to help block EU funds from reaching Hungary. Photos were quickly taken of him together with Tisza Party chief Peter Magyar.

The European People’s Party today stands among the most anti-Hungarian factions in the entire European Parliament. Its leaders are some of the most aggressive promoters of war, mass migration, and radical gender ideology in Brussels. And now, the Tisza Party has joined this very party family. So it begs the question: why should we expect something different?

As Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó put it, it’s obvious that the EPP — this pro-war, pro-migration, pro-gender political bloc — despises the fact that Hungary’s government stands firmly for peace, national sovereignty, and traditional values. The Hungarian government’s existence blocks Brussels from fully imposing its war-driven, migration-fueled, gender-focused agenda across Europe.

It’s entirely clear: the Polish liberals, the EPP, Manfred Weber, and Ursula von der Leyen all view Hungary’s sovereign, conservative government as an obstacle. Their core interest is to see a “Brussels-friendly” administration in Budapest — one that will serve them obediently on issues of war, migration, and gender. Today, Hungary’s pro-nation government, backed by a clear democratic mandate, is the main barrier to this agenda. And that is precisely why Brussels is now throwing its full weight behind the Tisza Party,

Mr Szijjarto explained.

Mandatory Conscription Returns in Europe

Under the leadership of a pro-war prime minister who also belongs to the EPP, Croatia has already voted to reintroduce military conscription. And just yesterday, German media reported that in Berlin, the EPP-led government agreed to bring back mandatory military service there as well — gradually, but unmistakably.

This shows that a powerful international network is now at work — one we might as well call the European People’s Party itself. Here in Hungary, the same idea has surfaced in the Tisza Party’s rhetoic. Their close ally, former army chief Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi, has openly said that in times of crisis “everyone must be pulled in” — a statement that clearly hints at forced conscription. Across Europe, a coordinated push is under way to normalize war fever, to reintroduce military service, and to keep the topic permanently on the political agenda. And in Hungary, the Tisza Party is the one responsible for carrying that banner,

the Foreign Minister said.

Europe Preparing for War

Just yesterday, a new report by Russian intelligence was published — and while it didn’t contain many surprises, it confirmed what’s already clear: several Western European powers, including France, are effectively preparing for war.

The European Union, under Brussels’ leadership, is now in a state of war fever. There’s no other way to describe it. When EU leaders talk about mobilizing €60 billion to arm the Ukrainian military — using European taxpayers’ money — or sending another €130 billion over the next two years just to keep the Ukrainian state functioning, it’s hard to call that anything other than war preparation,

Peter Szijjarto noted.

One thing the Hungarian people can be absolutely sure of — as long as there is a pro-nation government in Hungary, neither Hungarian soldiers, nor Hungarian weapons, nor Hungarian money will be sent to Ukraine,

he stressed.

This, he added, is one of the key stakes of the upcoming election. If the Tisza Party — which belongs to the European People’s Party — were to take power in Hungary, they would have no choice but to obey Brussels’ demands. Their leader is already compromised, and Brussels would easily force them to send Hungarian troops, weapons, and funds to support the European war agenda. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has declared that he expects Europe to continue supporting both the fighting and the running of his country for “two to three more years.”

Szijjarto described how, 

every month, I hear Ukraine’s Foreign Minister “not politely request, but outright demand” more money and resources — as if Europe should feel honored to hand them over.

“It’s absurd,” he said. “Ukraine behaves as though it alone is guaranteeing Europe’s security — when in truth, the war itself is the biggest threat to Europe’s security.

When Will the Budapest Peace Summit Take Place?

According to Minister Szijjarto, recent developments have made one thing clear: peace in Ukraine is impossible without an American–Russian agreement. For that, he said, “there must first be high-level dialogue between the two sides — because if the two presidents don’t talk, there will certainly be no deal.”

That’s why,” he continued, “we welcomed the news that the Russian and U.S. Presidents have begun talks. That was the first step. The second is that they have expressed willingness to hold an in-person summit. And third, they have agreed that the meeting would take place in Budapest. This is the order of events we are looking at. Hungary has made clear to all parties that it is ready to provide all necessary conditions to host the summit — so that the presidents of the United States and Russia can meet and reach an agreement that could finally bring peace back to Ukraine, and to Central Europe as a whole.

The minister also called it “good news” that both the U.S. and Russian foreign ministers had recently reaffirmed their intention to keep the peace summit on the agenda. “Preparations are ongoing,” Szijjarto said, adding that the key question now is timing: both sides want the event to produce results — a real agreement, not just a photo op.

But, of course,” he added pointedly, “a peace summit doesn’t fit into Brussels’ pro-war strategy. And it’s not because it would be held in Budapest — but because it could actually lead to peace. And that’s exactly what they don’t want to see.

Viktor Orban Meets Pope Leo XIV — While the Left Pushes Fake News

FM Szijjarto also referred to Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s recent meeting with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican. “At the very same time,” he said, “left-wing Italian newspapers began spreading fake news, trying to drive a wedge between President Trump and Prime Minister Orban.”

Let’s be clear,” he said, “the European liberal mainstream has one goal — to turn Donald Trump and Viktor Orban against each other.

The Minister also noted

They simply can’t stand the fact that when Donald Trump wants to speak with someone in Europe, his first choice is always Viktor Orban. They can’t process it. So they try to stir up confusion and fake stories to undermine that partnership — but it’s not working.

U.S. Sanctions and Energy Security

Turning to U.S. sanctions, the Hungarian Foreign Minister confirmed that the American government has indeed decided to impose new measures that would take effect toward the end of November — targeting Russian oil companies. “Obviously,” he said, “that would affect energy supplies in Central Europe, including Hungary. So it’s only natural that such a matter would be discussed between our two countries’ leaders.”

He confirmed that Prime Minister Orban and President Trump are scheduled to meet in the second half of next week. 

Energy cooperation will be a key part of the talks,” he noted. “The major economic cooperation package being developed between our countries relies heavily on energy cooperation — including its nuclear dimension, and of course, the regulation of fossil fuels. There’s really nothing unusual here,” he said. “Trump and Orban talk regularly — this time, they’ll do it face to face.

He added that preparations for the meeting were already well underway, and mentioned that his own talks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington focused largely on the same issues: the upcoming peace summit and the details of the U.S.–Hungarian cooperation package. “Our economic and energy relations are on an upward path,” he said. “This major cooperation package will be one of the most important results of the meeting, I hope.”

The Truth About Russian Energy in the West

Szijjarto also criticized Western hypocrisy over Russian energy. “The level of deceit in Western Europe when it comes to Russian energy is beyond belief,” he said. “In reality, Russia’s oil exports haven’t fallen much at all — only their direction, or rather their route has changed. 

Today, Russian oil and gas still flow into Europe, just through longer and more expensive routes. Western governments lie shamelessly, claiming they’ve freed themselves from Russian energy — while in truth, they import it in massive quantities through third countries,

 he pointed out.

He pointed out that last year, Europe’s imports of Russian liquefied natural gas reached a historic record. “Never before has so much Russian LNG arrived in Europe,” he said. Show host Balazs Nemeth pointed to the crude oil dispute between the refinery in Bratislava and Croatia's Janaf supply company over amounts provided.

Szijjarto also agreed about the mainstream's growing push for shifting reliance on Croatia for oil deliveries, noting:

some journalists — particularly those pushing for Hungary to rely solely on Croatian routes — might have their own undisclosed interests. If someone loudly takes the side of one particular business player in an energy security dispute, you have to wonder why,

he remarked dryly.

He called Croatia’s technical explanations “absurd,” describing how they claimed oil couldn’t be pumped to Hungary due to a “ceased flow” in their pipeline leading to Serbia (due to the enactment of sanctions) which acts as a "stopper". “So because the line to Serbia is empty, they say oil just flows the other way — and now they’re trying to force us to buy even more oil just to create pressure in the pipeline."

Szijjarto continued:

So imagine: when they can't solve technical problems such as sending 40,000 tons of crude oil due to a missing 'plug' or pressure in the system, they want Hungary's oil supply to rely exclusively on this pipeline. Well, that's laughable,

Szijjarto said.

The Train Carrying Hungarian Soccer Fans

The FM also recounted the recent incident involving a train transporting Hungarian football fans to Austria. 

The train reached the border,” he said, “but the Austrians suddenly decided it couldn’t proceed without Hungarian police escort — even though earlier they’d said no such thing was needed. After a quick round of coordination, Hungarian authorities arranged everything within half an hour. Then the Austrians changed the rules again — they ordered everyone off the train, 500 people, eight rail cars, so that Hungarian police could recheck them one by one. After that, the Austrians claimed they were waiting for approval from their Interior Ministry. In the meantime I was in continuous communication with that ministry.

"And then they simply disappeared. The police, the rail workers — all gone,” Szijjarto said, adding that all the while the official information he was receiving from the Austrian Foreign Ministry was that the government has nothing to do with the incident, that it was the independent decision of the rail company. “We then had to pull the train back into Hungary so the fans could at least get home and watch the match.”

At the end of the interview, Szijjarto laughed about a lighter topic — his recent help arranging an interview between the Hungarian Ultrahang YouTube channel and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. “They asked if I could help set it up. I said I’d ask. I did, they agreed, and it happened. I’m glad it worked out — finally a Hungarian YouTube channel with some success,” he said with a smile. 

They are sure to get a lot of views — and consequently some ad revenue - great!

he added.

Harcosok órája 54. epizód - Budai Gyula, Szijjártó Péter

Harcosok órája 54. epizód - Budai Gyula, Szijjártó Péter

Posted by Németh Balázs vagyok on Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Cover photo: Peter Szijjarto, Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, speaks at the inauguration ceremony of Shinheung SEC EU Ltd.’s new investment in Monor, October 17, 2025. (Photo: MTI / Noemi Bruzak)