PM Orban: Hungarians Want to Live in Peace with Their Neighbors

Prime Minister Viktor Orban was a guest Friday morning on Kossuth Radio's Good Morning, Hungary. The interview, broadcast exceptionally from Cluj-Napoca, covered topics including neighborhood policy, tax cuts, and recently introduced preferential loans for home buyers and for businesses. The Prime Minister also discussed the Tisza Party’s data scandal, as well as Kyiv and Brussels interference in Hungarian politics. He also congratulated Laszlo Krasznahorkai on receiving the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban during an interview with Kossuth Radio (Photo: MTI/Prime Minister’s Press Office/Zoltan Fischer)

“It is the duty of the Hungarian Prime Minister to attend major events organized by Hungarian communities abroad,” Viktor Orban said during the interview. He will attend the RMDSZ/UDMR (Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania) Congress in Cluj-Napoca, and noted that he will also be visiting other regions, such as southern Slovakia and Vojvodina.

He called it an honor that the Romanian Prime Minister would also be present at the event. PM Orban said it is difficult to imagine a more complex relationship than that between Hungary and Romania, but emphasized: “The Hungarian people want to live in peace with their neighbors.”

Good Neighborly Relations Are a Value

“People in both cities and villages know that the value of your property doesn’t just depend on how big it is, but on who your neighbor is. That’s why we must keep in mind not only Christian values but also basic human values. We Hungarians are interested in seeing Romania succeed — the more prosperous Romanians are, the better off the Hungarian economy will be. And as for those who like to extol Romania, they should take a look across the border to see whether things are really better there,” PM Orban said.

Speaking about Romania’s economy, he cautioned against judging other countries’ situations too lightly, saying politics, not economics, has created instability. “If there is no stability or predictability — if people and parties undervalue balance — short-term economic decisions follow, and when many such decisions pile up, trouble begins. I’ve been a member of Parliament for 35 years and have seen times like these. If anyone has the gumption to fix this off-kilter situation, it is the current Romanian Prime Minister,” he said.

The Magic Number Three

PM Orban said that Hungary’s economic policy revolves around a “magic number”: three. He noted that the government has already introduced a 3% fixed-rate housing loan and now also a 3% business loan. He thanked the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for helping devise the details of the new preferential loan's rules.

He explained that the upper limit of the available loan is 150 million forints (approx. €384 thousand), and that many small and medium-sized enterprises have been eagerly awaiting a manageable, affordable loan. “Hungary’s economy today is capable of simultaneously supporting a preferential fixed-rate housing loan and a business loan, while implementing the largest tax cut in Europe,” he added.

In Hungarian public life, Mr. Orban said, there has long been a debate between politicians and experts who want higher taxes and those who believe in a flat tax.
“Some people practically choke at the idea of a flat tax. They like taking people’s money and redistributing it according to their own sense of justice. I’m not one of them. I believe in simplicity — if you earn ten times more, you pay ten times more tax. The government shouldn’t interfere in people’s lives. It’s better when people decide what to do with their own money, when the government leaves money and freedom in their hands,” he said.

He also praised the Hungarian tourism industry, noting that it now accounts for almost 13% of Hungary’s GDP, calling it a major national achievement.

The Most Important Issues

On the topic of the Tisza Party, PM Orban pointed out that they are following Brussels’ orders to replace Hungary’s national-minded government with a Pro-Brussels,  or rather Pro-Ukraine one. “They want to send money to Ukraine — and one of their ideas is to take it from Hungarian taxpayers and use it to finance the war. I hope they never get the chance,” the Prime Minister said.

Regarding the upcoming National Consultation, he warned of enormous pressure on Hungary to support Ukraine’s EU membership and the war effort. “We don’t want this. This is a big international battle, and we need the people’s backing,” he said. He accused the Tisza Party and DK (Democratic Coalition) of avoiding these topics in the run up to the elections because “they know they would lose. In other words, they are refusing to talk about one of the most import issues (taxes and public burdens). People have the right to know what to expect regarding these matters, as it directly impacts their lives.

Threat from Ukraine

The PM said there has always been debate about Hungarian agriculture. “Some say agriculture is a thing of the past and isn’t modern — that’s why the left claims Hungarian agriculture can’t compete with Ukraine’s. That’s nonsense. Hungary cannot exist without agriculture,” he declared, warning that Hungary’s farming sector faces a serious threat from Ukraine: “If Ukraine joins the EU, hundreds of thousands of Hungarian farmers would go bankrupt.”

The Tisza Party’s Planned Reforms Mean School and Hospital Closures

He added that whenever the left talks about ‘major reforms,’ it usually means closing hospitals and schools. “For fifteen years I’ve been working to make sure good-quality education and healthcare are within everyone’s reach. The country needs eighteen strong county hospitals — and we’re building them,” he said.

Ukraine Will Do Everything to Bring the Tisza Party to Power

According to the Prime Minister, Ukraine is determined to drag Europe into the war “at any cost,” but Hungary resists. “That’s why they want a government change in Hungary — Brussels and Kyiv are working together on this. If they succeed, Hungarians will be worse off. Ukraine has infiltrated Hungarian politics and is actively working to help the Tisza Party into power,” he said.

A Product of Brussels

Commenting on the Tisza Party’s data leak scandal, PM Orban said it is no accident that countries protect their data — “because it can be used against them.” He expressed sympathy for those affected and hoped they would suffer no harm.

Regarding Tisza Party chief Peter Magyar’s European Parliamentary immunity case, the PM rejected claims that he is a victim of political persecution, calling them “nonsense". “Anyone who knows Hungary would laugh at that — here, everyone can say whatever they want. The immunity case is not political, it’s criminal — it’s about theft,” he said.

“But since Brussels has invested so much money in the Tisza Party, they can’t let go of him even though he is losing them money. They’re chasing their investment. No matter what Peter Magyar does, they won’t strip him of his immunity. It’s disgraceful — a mockery of European politics. He’s a product of their doing — and they won’t give him up,” Orban said.

Krasznahorkai’s Nobel Prize Is a Great Achievement

On Laszlo Krasznahorkai’s Nobel Prize in Literature, Viktor Orban said that every international award and Olympic gold medal carries special meaning. “We exist because we are talented and hardworking. The Hungarians have given more to humanity than they have received from it,” he said.

He emphasized that Krasznahorkai’s success should be seen not through a political but through a national lense: “It’s an enormous achievement that a Hungarian has received a Nobel Prize in Literature. Congratulations!” he concluded.

Cover photo: Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban during an interview with Kossuth Radio (Photo: MTI/Prime Minister’s Press Office/Zoltan Fischer)