A lot of lies, distortions, and vile slander were uttered, says the director of the Free Europe Institute. Interview.

After four years, József Szájer returned to public life, continuing his scientific work as the director of the Free Europe Institute.

The politician did not speak about the circumstances of his much-publicized resignation in 2020, but now to Mandiner in detail about how he experienced what happened.

The former Fidesz EP representative was asked, among other things, whether what he did was in contradiction with his public activities, whether he did not feel that he had deceived the voters, and it was also revealed how he experienced the reactions of his own political community.

But he also spoke about the commitments of the newly established institute, the future of the European Union, Manfred Weber and the pardon case.

Here are the ten most powerful statements from the interview:

• "I had to fight a serious illness, so I'm in a fighting mood."

• "There were a lot of lies, distortions, vile slander, and what happened to me - I have reason to suspect - was not the work of chance."

• "My 'sin' is that I didn't expose my private life to the world."

• "In the left-wing press and the opposition, the hypocritically proclaimed respect for human rights did not appear at all."

• "The global and domestic left-wing press, as well as the Hungarian opposition, attacked me with untruths, disregarding my human dignity, and often resorting to hate speech, feigned anger and indignation."

• "The assumption of responsibility is typical only for us, on the right, there is no trace of the left. I think this has not been emphasized enough by ours."

• "It cannot be that the European Court is more equal than equals."

• "In the case of Weber, the lesson is that anyone who cannot resist press pressure will never become a serious, autonomous politician."

• "Fidesz's success has two big secrets: tireless work and love of freedom."

• "You can get out of even the most hopeless situations if you put in all your energy and work twice as hard as your opponent."

You can read the entire article HERE.

Featured image: Ringier archive/Blikk