Few people know that Sebastian Kurz also has family ties to Hungary, as his grandmother, with whom he was closely connected in his childhood, spoke Hungarian, and the former politician still regrets that he did not teach him our language, but he believes that perhaps there is a kind of subconscious emotional connection with the Hungarians towards is still in it.
Mandiner conducted an interview with the former Chancellor of Austria in Esztergom, at the MCC Festival. In it, the former chancellor gave his opinion on a number of issues that define our days.
Kurz believes that during his political career he was always able to establish good cooperation with Hungary, and he has good personal relations with Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
"There are topics on which we agree and others on which we have different positions, this is completely normal in politics", but the basis of our relationship has always been trust, said the former chancellor.
According to Kurz, the cooperation with Budapest was the most intensive in 2015, when the migration crisis broke out.
"Péter Szijjártó was foreign minister in Hungary and I was foreign minister in Austria, and we were the first among foreign ministers to say that illegal migration must be stopped, that we cannot allow people smugglers to tell us who can come to Europe and who cannot. We shouldn't let in more people than we can integrate," emphasized Kurz, who thinks it's good that many people in Europe have changed their stance on the issue of migration.
In his view, the problems are also caused by the fact that many people within the European Union do not comply with the existing rules, and moreover, the Union is unable to stop illegal migration at the external borders.
Kurz also spoke about the fact that Europe is increasingly losing its competitiveness, even though maintaining it would be the most important thing.
According to the former chancellor, a war can never have a positive end, but at the same time, he hopes that a solution to the conflict will be found at the negotiating table.
"I don't think that defeating Russia will end this war, because Russia is still a nuclear power, and for that reason I don't think that defeat is an alternative for Russia and President Putin," Kurz pointed out, expressing his hope that a negotiation would at least contributes to a cease-fire, to the end of the killing.
The former chancellor also sent a message to the Hungarians, saying that Hungary is a great country with lots of opportunities.
