Election 2018 – EC, EPP, German chancellor, Polish Prime Minister and more congratulate Viktor Orbán

According to MTI, several representatives of European governments and the European Union have congratulated Viktor Orbán on wining Sunday’s general election for the third time in a row.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker will call Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Tuesday to discuss with him important and topical issues of “common interest”, the commission’s spokesman said on Monday.

The commission is “looking forward to cooperating” with the reelected Hungarian government and “tackling various future challenges,” Margaritis Schinas said at a regular press briefing.

“The EU is a union of democracy and common values,” Schinas said, adding that the commission and its president believe that defending these values is a “common duty of all member states, without exception”.

He said Juncker will write to Orbán later on Monday to congratulate him on his party’s election victory.

Manfred Weber, group leader of the European People’s Party (EPP) in the European Parliament of which Fidesz is a member, has congratulated Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on his “clear victory” in Sunday’s general election.

“I look forward to continuing working with you towards common solutions to our European challenges,” Weber said in a tweet on Monday.

The Social Democrat, liberal and green EP groups have expressed disappointment over the outcome of the election.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has also congratulated Viktor Orbán on his win of Sunday’s general election, the federal government’s spokesman said.

Merkel congratulated Orbán “in the usual manner”, Steffen Seibert said, adding that Hungary can count on Germany as a reliable partner in addressing bilateral issues. Germany and Hungary have strong ties going back to a long and fruitful history and partnership, Seibert cited the chancellor’s letter as saying.

The controversial issues in the two countries’ relations, such as migration, are not to be overlooked, Seibert said.

However, the chancellor and Germany are ready to develop bilateral ties “within the framework of our shared EU membership and European values,” Seibert added.

The Austrian chancellor congratulated the Hungarian prime minister on his party’s election victory in Monday.
Sebastian Kurz said on Twitter he congratulates Viktor Orbán on his reelection.

Hungary is an important neighbour and economic partner for Austria, Kurz said, adding that he was looking forward to continuing cooperation with Orbán.

Moreover, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Monday congratulated Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on his Fidesz party’s sweeping victory in Sunday’s general election.

“My congratulations to Viktor Orbán on his third successive victory. The path to reform is never simple. His support shows it is worth the effort,” he wrote in a tweet on Monday.

The Christian Social Union (CSU) congratulates Viktor Orbán on his major victory on Sunday’s general election, party head Horst Seehofer said in Munich on Monday.

The CSU has always viewed Orbán as a partner, Seehofer, who also heads the federal interior ministry, said.

Orbán emerged as a resistance fighter against the Communist dictatorship, and has kept his voters’ trust since, he said.

Seehofer called on the European Union to “strive for reasonable bilateral relations with the member states, especially the smaller ones like Hungary. I have never approved of arrogant and paternalistic policies,” he said.

Andrej Babis, acting prime minister of the Czech Republic, congratulated Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on his party’s election victory in Czech and in Hungarian on Twitter on Monday.

In his message, Babis called ruling Fidesz’s win “convincing” and expressed the wish to further cooperate with Orbán both on bilateral level and within the framework of the European Union and the Visegrád Group.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic also congratulated Viktor Orbán on his party’s election victory at Sunday’s national election, where the incumbent Fidesz-Christian Democrat alliance garnered over two thirds of the votes.

Hungarians have chosen a leader committed to hard work and to building a peaceful and prosperous future for his people.

The hard but well-founded decisions Orbán has made to this end show that wisdom and political experience can take the county forward, the letter said.

Serbian-Hungarian relations have never been as good as in recent times, Vucic said. Bilateral economic, trade and investment ties also pave Serbia’s way to progress, he said. “I would like to … also thank you and your government for the selfless help you give Serbia on its way to Europe,” Vucic said.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic congratulated Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on his win in Sunday’s election.

“Croatian-Hungarian historical ties are present in very close political, economic and cultural relations,” the letter published on the government website on Monday said.

Plenkovic said he was pleased that cooperation would continue with the Hungarian prime minister to further improve and strengthen bilateral relations and find constructive solutions to key issues.

President of the European Council Donald Tusk congratulated Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on his win in Sunday’s election.

Tusk expressed hope in a letter sent to Orbán on Monday that in his next term as prime minister he would play a “constructive role in maintaining the unity of the European Union”.