PM Orban: Hungary Has One of the Most Stable and Effective Governance in Europe

The political and governmental system must be built on freedom, and Hungary today has one of the most stable and effective governance in Europe, said Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in an interview given on Saturday to Mathias Dopfner, CEO of the Axel Springer publishing company. He also stated that the European Union has turned from a peace project into a war project, while US President Donald Trump, by contrast, "is a man of peace."

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (Photo: MTI)

"I am looking for ways to strengthen democracy, not to replace it," he said in the interview, which was published on Mathias Dopfner’s YouTube channel.

National Sovereignty Is the Most Important European Value

The Prime Minister argued that Brussels wants to change the government in Hungary, and he made clear: Hungary intends to reform the EU, but will never leave it, as it is part of Western Christian civilization.

 PM Orban called national sovereignty the most important European value.

He said a new system must be found in which EU member states can cooperate in the most effective way, because the current format does not work. A transformation of the power structure is needed, and, in his view, patriots must play a leading role in this. Viktor Orban described it as a disappointment that Europe is destroying its own competitiveness.

When asked what the central topic of the upcoming Hungarian election campaign will be, he again pointed to sovereignty.

He added that the challengers of the modern Christian government he leads are financed from Brussels.

Speaking about migration, Viktor Orban explained that Hungary wants to decide for itself whom it admits and with whom it wishes to live.

"If a Christian country admits large numbers of non-Christians, it will have an effect on democracy as well," he stressed.

Hungary halted illegal migration, and for that, Brussels punished the country,

he recalled, while noting that there are guest workers also in Hungary.

Regarding the war in Ukraine, he said that "we are very close to peace." To achieve it, what is needed above all is a unified transatlantic position,

he added.

The Prime Minister called it unrealistic that the EU is providing enormous financial support to a country that will not win the war, a country where corruption is at a high level, while, he noted, there is no money for enhancing the EU's competitiveness.

If Europe could reach a common position with the Americans, it would also facilitate international trade negotiations,

he argued.

Viktor Orban: Trump Is the Man of Peace

Speaking about the U.S. President, he stated clearly that  Donald Trump is "pro-peace."

Had he been President when the war in Ukraine broke out, the war probably would never have started, or it would have ended very quickly,

PM Orban said. He highlighted Trump’s Christian outlook as well, and explained that from their first meeting in 2015, he understood that the Western world needed Donald Trump, which is why he has supported him ever since. He also made clear that he fully backs the American President’s peace efforts in the Gaza Strip. Asked whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is interested in a ceasefire and peace in Ukraine, the Prime Minister answered 'yes.' He dismissed as ridiculous the idea that Russia would attack EU member states or NATO.

It is not strong enough for that,

he said, adding that the escalation of the war increases the risk of a third world war.

We must demonstrate our strength at the negotiating table, not on the front line,

he said. He added that he wants Europe to become safer after the war. He called for the creation of a new security architecture.

Hungary’s security is defined by the Berlin-Moscow-Istanbul triangle, he noted.

The longer the war in Ukraine continues, he argued, the stronger Russia becomes. "Hungary has long-standing experience with Russia; we know them well. Therefore Hungary can be a helpful partner for all those who want to create peace in Ukraine," he stated.

He expressed surprise that war rhetoric has become an everyday reality in German politics.

He also mentioned that the war would not have broken out if Angela Merkel had still been Chancellor at the time.

Without Germany, the European position will never be pro-peace,

he emphasized. Commenting on Alice Weidel, co-chair of Alternative for Germany (AfD), he said she made a strong impression during her visit to Budapest, highlighting that she has very clear ideas especially in economic matters.

The interview also touched on the fact that Hungary received an exemption from U.S. sanctions on Russian oil exports. He explained that he and Donald Trump agreed that as long as both remain in office, this exemption would stand. He told the American President that if Hungary were cut off from Russian oil, it would result in immediate, multiple price increases and would mean the collapse of "millions of households."

Trump understood that Hungary has no alternative, as it is a landlocked country

PM Orban said. He also recalled that Germany received an exemption before Hungary. Speaking about the financial shield, the Prime Minister pointed out that Hungary has historically been financially fragile, as after World War One the country lost everything that had provided a solid base for its economy. The shield should originally come from the European Union, he said, but the situation is in fact the opposite: Brussels is blackmailing and trying to strangle Hungary economically.

We now need a shield against Brussels,

he stated. He added that he and Trump also discussed the purchase of American nuclear technology, as Hungary is poor in natural resources and therefore must rely on nuclear energy.

In the long term, 70 percent of Hungary’s energy may come from this source

Viktor Orban stated in the interview, reviewed by Hungary's news agency MTI.

Cover photo: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (Photo: MTI)