The stakes of the upcoming European Parliament elections are greater than ever before, we are choosing between war and peace, said the President of the Parliament at the public forum held in the Zirci Abbey building on Wednesday.

The Speaker of the House recalled: European Parliament elections were held in Hungary for the first time in 2004, and since then Fidesz and KDNP have won with a significant margin every time.

However, the elections so far "were more likely to be perceived as public opinion polls" and indicated what people's opinions were about national politics between two parliamentary elections, their significance far below the stakes of the upcoming election.

László Kövér said that the period between 2012 and 2022 was a "golden decade" in Hungary, the performance capacity of the economy increased continuously, the livelihood of families improved, the purchase value of pensions increased by 20 percent and that of families by about 70 percent compared to 2010.

He pointed out that 5 percent of the gross national product is spent on family support every year, and Hungarian family support is recognized by many countries.

Speaking about the national policy, he emphasized that it was not only a moral commitment, but also that financial resources were available for a breakthrough in this area, citing as examples the extension of citizenship and the launch of programs to help people prosper in their homeland.

The President of the National Assembly emphasized that Hungary's prestige in the world has increased, so that, for example, large nations such as China seek to cooperate with us.

He called joining the EU a good idea, adding that some representatives do not act in the service of national interests, thereby undermining Hungary's interests.

László Kövér considers it a success that Hungary has finally obtained the EU funds necessary to raise teachers' wages, but at the same time he pointed out that despite the significant sums spent on training doctors, many doctors are leaving the country. As he said, this process must be stopped.

Zoltán Kovács, the region's Fidesz member of parliament, introduced the parliamentary candidates and drew attention to some technical information related to the elections.

Péter Ottó (Fidesz-KDNP), the current mayor of Zirc and also a candidate for mayor, emphasized that it is very important that our leaders work with dedication for the country. He gave examples from history of people who stood up for the country and the city, recalled the past of the city of Zirc, and talked about the achieved results.

MTI

Cover image: László Kövér, Speaker of the Parliament, gives a speech at the Fidesz-KDNP election forum in the Gobelin Hall of the Zirci Abbey on May 29, 2024
Source: MTI/Tamás Vasvári