This Hungarian party is the German AfD’s biggest ally

Hungary has a need for peace to emerge in Ukraine, and its interests lie in preserving stability and prosperity in Europe, Kinga Gál, the leader of the Fidesz European Parliament (EP) group, said in Strasbourg on Wednesday.

After the EP plenary debate on strengthening European security and defence, Gál told Hungarian journalists that Hungary condemned Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and stood by Ukraine in upholding its territorial integrity, while providing humanitarian support “beyond its means”.

She said, however, it was “unacceptable” that Hungary had been attacked because it stood for peace.

Meanwhile, Hungary a supports common defence policy and strengthening Europe’s defence industry, something that Hungary’s EU presidency will prioritise, she said.

But Hungary rejects “ideological statements” contained in the reports discussed in the EP today, she added. Europe’s “real interests”, such as stopping its slide in competitiveness, should be the real focus of debates, Gál said.

The MEP decried “repeated attacks” in EP reports against Olivér Várhelyi, the commissioner for enlargement and neighborhood policy, adding that he deserved credit for getting enlargement policy moving again.

Speeding up the European integration of the Western Balkans “is a fundamental strategic interest of the EU”, Gál added.

Regarding qualified majority voting, she said related proposals were “intolerable” and ran contrary to the EU’s basic treaties. Scrapping unanimous decision-making would gravely harm the sovereignty of member states, especially smaller ones, she said.