kossuth rádió Orbán Viktor miniszterelnök kormányfő

PM Orban: European Leaders Don't Realize They Are Playing with Fire + Video

Now is the time to decide that we will not be drawn into the war, emphasized Hungary's Prime Minister.

2025. 10. 31. 10:56

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Kossuth Radio's program (Photo: Prime Minister’s Press Office/Zoltan Fischer)

Europe's Economy Is in Trouble, Yet Brussels is Bent on Sending Money to Ukraine

Those who support Ukraine are in fact supporting the war, Viktor Orban said, pointing out that since war requires money, anyone supporting Ukraine is also supporting higher taxes. "When Brussels sends money to Ukraine, it is also sending our money," he said. He noted that the European Union plans to send 20 percent of its next budget to Ukraine, even though the European economy is in deep trouble.

The Tisza Party wants to introduce a pension tax and raise other taxes because they know that more money will have to be sent to Brussels,

he said.

Viktor Orban pointed out that the United States now has a president who seeks peace, and Hungary’s interest lies in ensuring that his peace efforts prevail. The Vatican remains the spiritual center of peace, he said, and his meeting with the Holy Father reaffirmed that Hungary is on the right path. He also mentioned that pro-peace governments have now taken office in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, and he expects similar developments elsewhere.

We Must See the World Through Others' Eyes Too

Speaking about his upcoming meeting with Donald Trump, Viktor Orban said the talks could bring Europe closer to peace and to a future peace summit.

"We have been working on this meeting for a long time. It is not only about meeting the President of the United States, but we are almost having a ‘Hungarian Day’, with economic leaders, several ministers, and the national security chief advisor attending. Of course, the most important topic is peace, but it may also open the way for new U.S.–Hungarian economic cooperation,"

he revealed.
The Prime Minister went on to say that for months he has been working to help Americans visualize the map of Europe, because, as he put it, "there is only one globe, but there are many perspectives. Since we are not large enough, we must learn to see the world through others’ eyes," he said. "In bilateral relations, energy security is key, and investors need clarity about what to expect in Hungary," he emphasized.

Since Hungary is a landlocked country, it is vulnerable in terms of transport routes, he pointed out.

"We must make others understand these difficulties. But we are not completely alone, as Germany, though it has a coastline, also requested an exemption from one of the sanctions, even though they were previously the ones tugging at our sleeve," he said.

Serious Problems with Tisza's Proposals

According to Viktor Orban, an economist deals with numbers and makes proposals, while an economic policymaker sees people behind those numbers. That is why, he said, economic expertise is necessary, but politicians must not blindly follow economists.

The problem with the Tisza Party’s proposals is that we have already tried them, and they did not work,

he remarked. The approaches adopted by the Tisza Party and the Democratic Coalition (DK) must be forgotten, he stressed. In his view, austerity cannot put the Hungarian economy back on a growth path.

"The Hungarian economy cannot grow faster than one percent precisely because there is a war. The war is blocking the European economy," he added. Peace is the most important economic interest of Hungarian families, he emphasized.

He called it almost a miracle that during a time when Europe’s economy is blocked by war, Minister of National Economy Marton Nagy is able to simultaneously launch wage increase programs, a three-percent home creation loan scheme, and Europe’s largest tax cut.

Experts Are Working on Introducing a 14th-Month Pension

On the subject of the 14th-month pension, the Prime Minister said that although left-wing parties claim now is not the right time, experts are already working on it.

"We are always working on pensions and wages. Many people think that what has already happened is behind us and no longer matters, but it is important to remember. In 2010, pensioners suffered because previous governments had reduced the value of pensions. We therefore made an agreement with pensioners’ organizations that this would never happen again. We sweated blood, but we succeeded," Viktor Orban said. "I believe a 14th-month pension is necessary. Opposition economic experts say this is not the time, but I say yes, this is the time, and we must make it happen. We will not be able to introduce it in a single step, the experts are still working on the exact plan," stressed Prime Minister Viktor Orban.