Hungary FM: Voters Know What to Expect From Us + Video

“It is not at all unfair to hold a party accountable for its program” — this was one of the topics, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto spoke about in an interview with journalist Peter Koczian. Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Peter Szijjarto stated that while Fidesz’s track record is well known, there are serious contradictions surrounding the Tisza Party’s platform.

In the wide-ranging conversation — which also touched on Hungary’s electoral system, policy development, and opposition criticism — Peter Szijjarto rejected the claim that it would be unjust to scrutinize an opposition party’s program. The minister emphasized that voters know exactly what they can expect from Fidesz. “We will continue what we have been doing,” he said, pointing to tax cuts, one of the most generous family support systems in the OECD, the preservation of regulated utility price cuts, and an investment-driven economic policy.

Peter Szijjarto, Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Photo: MTI/Lajos Soos)

According to Szijjarto, while leaders of the Tisza Party claim they have not made every detail of their program public, there nevertheless exists a several-hundred-page policy document linked to the party that outlines concrete objectives. He argued that when experts present proposals at party events in front of the party’s logo, voters are justified in assuming that those ideas reflect the Tisza Party’s official direction.

The minister also criticized what he described as a lack of rigorous scrutiny by some media outlets when it comes to opposition claims.

Hungary’s electoral system was another topic in the interview. Szijjarto noted that since 2010, Fidesz has secured decisive victories under multiple different electoral frameworks. He emphasized that other countries — such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and France — also employ electoral mechanisms where parliamentary seat distribution proportions are weighted and do not directly coincide with the popular vote.

In his view, the legitimacy of Hungary’s election results rests on the will of the voters.

The discussion also addressed ongoing disputes with the European Commission. Szijjarto maintained that the withholding of certain EU funds is tied to political disagreements, including issues related to migration, gender policy, and the war in Ukraine.

The minister stated that

Hungary has already succeeded in securing part of the funds to which it is entitled, and that the government continues to work to ensure the remaining amounts are released.

Cover photo: Peter Szijjarto, Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Photo: MTI)