The week behind us was a real diplomatic coup for Hungary - more than forty state leaders came to the nation's capital to discuss the continent's most pressing issues. In the interview, László Gubík, the president of the Hungarian Association, talks about the place of Hungarians from the highlands in this formula.
The world political scene is changing at a dizzying pace and extent, and the result of the US presidential election will probably only increase this. How do you evaluate the election result and what effects do you expect from it in international politics?
I am optimistic. I was waiting for this result and I am happy about it. All the more so because Donald Trump has already been president of the United States of America for four years. During that cycle, the number one political, cultural and economic power in the world, at least in the Western world, did not start a war.
Now, in the current world political situation, a quick cease-fire, the initiation of peace negotiations, and then the conclusion of peace is what is most needed.
That is why I can be optimistic, since Trump has already proven himself in this field. I really hope that what was achieved between 2016 and 2020 will now also be achieved between 2024 and 2028. If we look at it from here, then a good result was achieved. In addition, if we consider making Hungarian-American relations more balanced as a goal and a necessity, then the person of Donald Trump can be a guarantee for this - at least compared to Vice President Kamala Harris, since as Vice President Harris was a key politician in the previous cabinet.
A European-level summit meeting of world political importance took place in Budapest this week. Robert Fico primarily highlighted migration, while Viktor Orbán – to which you also alluded – named the creation of peace as a key idea. What do you think about this?
I agree with both positions. Illegal migration must also be eradicated, and war must also end.
We can be happy that the dominant politicians, leaders and heads of government of Central Europe agree on this, if only because of the strengthening of Hungarian-Slovak relations.
If this attitude continues to spread and strengthen in the western half of the continent, it would be an extremely welcome development for all of us.
What role can Slovakia play in this process?
As a small Central European country, Slovakia also has its own role on the stage of European and world politics. I see that the Prime Minister is doing what he can within the scope of the country. The fact that they have found common interests with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in this may encourage smaller or medium-sized states to go against the tide, as persistence and tenacity can often be justified in the long term.
Fico: Slovakia does not support Ukrainian support at the expense of member states
How can the Hungarian Association take a stand on these issues? How can you reach people?
I announced the "Highlands First" policy, so we must primarily deal with community issues and address them. It is important to have self-confidence and serious goals, but we also need to manage our weight in the right way.
World political issues will not be decided by the Hungarian community of half a million in the highlands. However, life throws us questions that only we can solve
– such is the language law, the financing of local governments and the legal status of secondary schools. These are now particularly relevant in the Highlands. At the same time, the functioning of the Hungarian association cannot be characterized by a vacuum of values; I believe that with our people's party we can integrate our community and, where appropriate, other nationalities living next to us, as well as members of the majority nation who think with us.
And if issues arise that are of global or European importance, then we have to address these issues as well, managing our role in the right way. Examples include the US presidential election, migration or European politics.
In this regard, we must form an opinion based on the community interest, not on the basis of sympathy.
Illegal migration, for example, is not an issue for us because we sympathize or not with a particular ethnic group, but because drastic demographic changes can upset the lives and customs of the people living there and have a negative effect on native cultures. And in the matter of war and peace, from a Highland perspective, the guarantee is clearly the candidate who is more likely to end the conflicts - for this reason, we welcome the election of Donald Trump.
Hungarians in the highlands feel directly the deterioration of the situation of the indigenous minority - we not only read about this, but also experience it in Felső-Csallóköz and Gömör, as a result of an internal migration wave. This is an important issue, as is the language law. According to press reports, Péter Szijjártó is negotiating the language law with Slovak political representatives. Do you receive information about this?
Péter Szijjártó will visit us at the headquarters in Csajak Street on Monday. During our discussion, I assume that I will be informed about everything that concerns me and my party.
Featured image: Facebook/Felvidek.ma
