PM Orban: Brussels Wants to Kill Utility Cost Cuts + Video

Prime Minister Viktor Orban spoke Friday morning on Kossuth Radio about January’s utility bill freeze and Hungary’s energy security, outlining his government’s position on Brussels’ plans, the unconditional financing of Ukraine, and the six-month bonus paid to law-enforcement personnel.

PM Orban said that the extreme cold in January would have driven household energy bills up by 30 percent. “Imagine if there were no utility cost cuts at all—hundreds of thousands of families would have become unable to pay their bills. In Hungary, utility cost cuts are now part of everyday reality, but where such protections do not exist, people pay three or four times as much,” the prime minister said on Kossuth Radio’s Good Morning, Hungary program.

A Unique System

Viktor Orban noted that Hungary’s utility cost reduction scheme is unique within the European Union, which is precisely why, he argued, Brussels wants to dismantle it. After an exceptionally cold January, the government faced a choice: help only those deemed most in need, or help everyone.

“If you look into the well of energy consumption, it’s complicated—some people report actual usage, others pay a flat rate. Without a general rule, the system would have been unfair. That’s why we decided the state would cover 30 percent of every consumer’s energy costs,” he explained.

He added that the policy has long been the subject of both domestic and Brussels-driven political attacks. “When we introduced this system, the Left and the Democratic Coalition (DK) attacked it. Then they stopped. Now the Tisza Party is attacking it, arguing that it’s better if people pay more for things,” PM Orban said, citing remarks by Tisza Party expert and parliamentary candidate Kriszta Bodis.

Three Negotiations

PM Orban stressed that one of the central stakes of the upcoming election is the future of utility cost cuts. “If there were a Brussels-backed government in Hungary, they would abolish them immediately,” he said. The core of the dispute, he added, is whether the purchase of Russian gas should be banned—something that would effectively end the utility cost reduction scheme and result in bills two to three times higher.

The prime minister said he had to conduct three major negotiations: first, persuading the U.S. president to grant Hungary an exemption from sanctions on Russian gas—an effort he said succeeded. “Then I had to reach an agreement with the Russian president to continue supplies, and finally with the Turks to ensure the security of the transit route,” he said.

He warned that Brussels plans to fully ban the use of Russian gas starting in 2027. “Anyone who claims the current utility cost reduction system can be maintained without Russian gas is not telling the truth. We do not want to implement the regulation issued in Brussels—we must find a way around it and avoid it,” Orban emphasized.

Brussels and Kyiv Want a Pro-Ukraine Government

The PM also responded to remarks by Ukraine’s foreign minister, who reportedly described the Hungarian prime minister as a danger to the Hungarian people. “There is coordination between Brussels and Ukraine,” Mr. Orban said, noting that the stated justification for the regulation is to help Ukraine.

He argued that the EU has no legal authority to impose such a ban, as energy policy is a national competence. “If Brussels wants to intervene, it must impose sanctions—but that would require unanimity. Instead, they claim this is merely a trade policy issue. But clearly, in substance, it is a sanction,” Viktor Orban said. “The point is to install a government in Hungary that does not resist,” he added.

Mr. Orban said he understands Kyiv’s position: Hungary does not want to send soldiers or weapons to Ukraine, nor does it support sending money there. “The Ukrainians want our money. They even have a name for it—the Ukrainian welfare plan. They are demanding €800 billion, plus another €700 billion,” he said.

According to the PM, the EU would either have to take on joint debt—something Hungary opposes—or extract more money from member states. “That’s why they are not only interested in hacking Hungary’s energy policy, but in a much bigger goal: installing a Ukraine-friendly government in Hungary,” he said.

PM Orban added that Brussels has already circulated a document outlining Ukraine’s accession to the EU in 2027, a move that would shape the next seven-year EU budget framework.

Two Battles to Win

Addressing claims by the Tisza Party that it does not support Ukraine’s EU membership, Orban pointed to an internal Tisza referendum in which more than half of its supporters backed Ukraine’s accession. “If Ukraine were an EU member today, there would be war in Europe. It is an illusion to believe that one EU member could fight a major power without dragging the rest into the conflict. That is why this kind of EU membership is simply impossible,”PM Orban said.

He added that Ukraine’s accession would also have negative economic consequences for Hungary, noting coordination with the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which he said also do not want to pay the costs. “This battle must be won. Europe is rebelling on this issue, and citizens will force their leaders not to support it. But first we must win at home in April—then comes the fight in Brussels,” he said.

PM Orban also rejected the idea that Ukraine could protect Europe from Russia. “Europe will only be safe if it has sufficient military strength to defend itself. We need an agreement with Russia that creates a security buffer for us. That, however, is a matter for negotiations,” he said.

The Tisza Party Would Implement Brussels’ Demands

Viktor Orban said Hungary would be expected to contribute 5,652 billion forints toward Ukraine’s demands—equivalent to 1.4 million forints per Hungarian household. “Brussels can only secure this by forcing us to abolish family support programs or the 13th-month pension and send that money to Brussels,” he said.

“The Tisza Party’s economic program would meet these demands in order to keep the Ukrainian war going,” Orbn claimed. He also dismissed the alternative of EU borrowing, saying Kyiv would be unable to repay such loans for centuries. “That’s why we did not participate in the €90 billion loan either,” he added.

The Pro-Nation Government Is the Guarantee

Asked how Hungary could finance Brussels’ demands, Orban said it would be easy without a national-minded government: “They would simply take the support away from people.” He recalled previous Hungarian governments led by Ferenc Gyurcsany and Gordon Bajnai, which he said served Brussels’ interests rather than Hungary’s.

Recognizing Service

PM Orban also addressed the six-month bonus for law-enforcement personnel, saying those affected swear an oath to defend the country at the risk of their lives. “They deserve extra pay—whether they are guarding the borders or serving on the streets,” he said.

He praised their work, calling Hungary Europe’s safest country. “There are no more police jokes here. This work requires serious education and professionalism. The armed forces have made major advances, and disaster management personnel also stood their ground in the cold. They deserve this extra monetary compensation,” Viktor Orban concluded.