The Prime Minister highlighted that Hungary and Poland had foiled the attempt that others should decide about the money they were entitled to. There were some who wanted to achieve that, while we would be given the sums we are entitled to, the utilisation of funds would be tied to political conditions, he said.
He took the view that these are countries that are pro-immigration and “hate us” because we are fighting against the imposition of their migration policy and because Hungary is stopping migrants. George Soros is behind them, he added.
They wanted a financial instrument with which they could blackmail Hungary and Poland, Mr Orbán underlined.
He said we had won an important battle, not a war.
In Europe, there are two competing views about the future; one is past Christianity and the era of national cultures, and would let in people from many alien cultures in order for them to mix with the locals and to create a peculiar mixed culture, Mr Orbán said.
We, however, do not want this, we love security and order, we do not like terrorism, we do not want to have to adapt to those coming here; “we don’t want to go down this path”. At the same time, adherents of the other view are not allowing us to decide on this issue for ourselves; they say that Europe must be uniform everywhere, he added.
The Prime Minister stressed that this debate had not been decided yet, and we must prepare for having to fight these battles for another decade.
Therefore, only such a national government and prime minister can lead the country who understands the wider meaning of this and is able to stand up for Hungary, he stated.
Mr Orbán also mentioned that the EU summit was an important moment in the history of Hungary and the other 26 Member States because they had to try their hand at something they had not done before.
As there are grave problems in several EU countries, they compiled not only the seven-year budget, but were also required to create an economic recovery package, he pointed out.
He recalled that there are Member States whose sovereign debts will rise to 150 to 160 per cent to GDP.
In 2010 in Hungary this percentage was around 83 to 85 per cent, and that was already depressing enough, he recalled.
He observed that there were a great many different interests clashing at the summit, and so it was very difficult to find a point which everyone was comfortable with.
The Prime Minister said during five days of negotiations, they secured EUR 3 billion for Hungary.
When they arrived, there was a proposal about how much each country would pay in and how much they would receive from the EU, but that proposal was unfair from Hungary’s point of view. It had to be adjusted, and they succeeded in doing that, Mr Orbán said.
He highlighted that Hungary is part of the international division of labour, and of the large European market.
However, we have a great handicap inherited from communism, we have an inherited historical disadvantage, and if we open our borders in the absence of protective customs tariffs, the businesses of countries with a more fortunate past come here and create a difficult competitive situation for Hungarian businesses, he underlined.
He said there is a certain amount of money that they take out of the country, and therefore, the goal is “to make at least as much money on them as they make on us”.
If they take out a large amount, we must find a way to bring at least the same amount in, for instance, in the form of EU grants. We must fight for striking a balance, and we are not far from that, he stated.
Concerning the coronavirus epidemic, Mr Orbán said in the past few days, the situation regarding fatalities has improved.
In neighbouring countries, however, there are problems, and unless we take action, they will introduce the virus to Hungary, he said.
He took the view that we must therefore pay attention to upholding clear rules at border crossing points which people must observe.
The Prime Minister asked everyone to inform themselves before travelling. He also said he is not trying to talk anyone out of travelling abroad, but “more Lake Balaton, less Adriatic,” and at this time Hungary should remain in the focus of holiday arrangements.
Regarding the introduction of school guards, he said there are places in the country where things have gone so far that there is no guarantee that parents and children give teachers the respect they are entitled to. It is unacceptable that teachers should feel threatened while they do their job for the benefit of others, he stated.
He said they are only sending school guards to schools which request this service.
It is the duty of school guards to maintain order. We must send the message to children and parents that while there is freedom and there is democracy, in schools there must be order and work must be done, he stressed.
In the context of the national consultation, the Prime Minister said we cannot rely on the Left if there is trouble.
Standing together is a moral duty of parties; however, the Left fails to fulfil this duty and wants to prevent people from stating their opinions about the fight against the virus, he said.
We need this consultation because the epidemic could have a second wave, and it is important for the people to state which measures they regard as important, Mr Orbán said.
