Mandiner.hu reported on the prime minister's visit to Paris .
The report of the European Commission is a lie
I will not agree to a decision that is bad for Hungary. My understanding of Europe is that until everyone agrees, there is no decision. Ukraine is in a difficult situation due to the Russian invasion, so we decided to support it. I agree that the European Council sends positive signals to Ukraine, but there are completely different signals, such as the start of negotiations on EU membership. We shouldn't do that
- said Viktor Orbán about the EU accession of the country at war.
He added: technically it is not even a veto in this case. According to the interviewing journalist, all eyes in Europe are now on Viktor Orbán, so he immediately asked the question: why is he against the possible accession of the Ukrainians?
For two reasons. First, because they are not ready to negotiate. On the other hand, we Europeans are not ready to accept them as full members either. The European Commission's report that four out of seven conditions have already been met is simply a lie. Ukraine is known to be one of the most corrupt countries in the world
Mandiner quoted the prime minister's answer.
However, the Prime Minister also spoke about the fact that he does not know whether the French public is concerned with what Ukraine's accession would mean economically, because France, for example, would have to pay 3.5 billion euros more into the common budget every year. "Is that accepted here?" asked the Prime Minister, who believes that the Ukrainians will destroy European agriculture the very next day if they are admitted to the common market. He noted that the preparatory work that would allow Ukraine to join the European Union has not been done, so it is better if they do not start negotiating the matter now, and the leaders of the EU do not make the same mistakes as they did with Turkey.
Human and minority rights cannot be a subject of debate
During the interview, the situation of the Hungarian minority living in Ukraine was also discussed. Viktor Orbán said that human and minority rights should not be the subject of debate, nor should they be considered a prerequisite for membership. Ukraine must respect rights, not because it wants to join the EU, but to maintain relations with Europe. "If you don't respect him, sooner or later we have to slow down the cooperation," he added. Viktor Orbán also said that Hungary is always ready to conclude good agreements, but the issues must be classified correctly, for example he classifies them into three categories: historical, strategic, tactical. According to him, the issue of Ukraine's accession is historic, and forty years of political experience has taught him that they risk complete chaos if they make bad decisions on historical issues.
That is why I do not want to make an agreement on the Ukrainian issue, but I am ready to do it on other issues
he revealed.
The sanctions have done more damage to the EU than to Moscow
In the interview, he said again that the right balance must be found, which is why he only vetoes sanctions against Russia if they harm Hungary's fundamental interests, such as in the field of energy. Regardless, he does not support the measures, because it has been proven repeatedly throughout European history that they do not work and are currently causing more damage to the European Union than to Russia. Regarding the handshake with Vladimir Putin in Beijing, he said that Russia is a completely different type of civilization than European countries, so it is unrealistic to expect it to work like us.
I support rational discussions about how to approach Russia. Of course, there are disagreements among the member states on this topic, some say the EU made a rational decision, others say it will result in the military, financial and political collapse of Ukraine
said the Prime Minister.
The rule of law is used as a political tool against Hungary
Regarding migration, Viktor Orbán noted that if the French think that letting in migrants is a good decision, they should do it, but they should not force others to do the same, because according to the Hungarians, this is too risky a decision, because there is no guarantee that we will achieve better things by mixing cultures in traditional societies. Viktor Orbán emphasized that national sovereignty should be taken more seriously in Europe, Hungary does not accept the centralist way of life of Brussels bureaucrats and their coercion. He added:
The basic treaty of the European Union does not contain a definition of the rule of law. A common interpretation would be needed, but instead it has become a political tool in the hands of those who want a centralized European Union, and this tool is now being used against Hungary.
Regarding migration, the Prime Minister noted that once migrants are allowed in and cannot be sent back, they will not behave as the European intelligentsia would like. Regarding the criticism of the Hungarian fence, he noted that it is not easy to fend off all attacks on a three- to four-hundred-kilometer stretch, which means a constant struggle against organized groups.
Europe must defend itself with its own strength
Regarding NATO, he said that it is necessary because it means security, since it is much stronger than Russia. However, he believes that we Europeans must take responsibility for protecting ourselves, which is why he most strongly supports increasing defense spending so that we are not dependent on the United States.
Europe must be able to defend itself with its own strength, otherwise we will always be in the shadow of the Americans. You French have an important role to play in increasing European military power
- stated Viktor Orbán, who drew attention to the fact that Hungary started modernizing the army four years ago and is reaching the goal set by NATO, i.e. spending at least two percent of GDP on the military industry.
Front page photo: In the photo published by the Prime Minister's Press Office, French President Emmanuel Macron (j) receives Prime Minister Viktor Orbán before their working dinner in Paris at the Elysée Palace on December 7, 2023. MTI/Prime Minister's Press Office/Benko Vivien Cher
