EU Elections – Socialist Leader On EU, Rivals

(MTI) – It is difficult to speak about economic independence in a country where the economy fails to generate sufficient funds for development, Socialist leader Attila Mesterhazy said on Tuesday.

Ninety seven percent of funds used for building kindergartens, schools and roods here, and making businesses more competitive come from the European Union, he told a press conference in Siofok.

“For this reason, Hungary should strive for wise compromises and negotiate with a sober mind rather than be a strongman in Brussels.”

The ruling Fidesz’s policy of “permanently generating conflicts” with the EU and its member states is ill-advised, the Socialist leader said. Mesterhazy called on radical nationalist Jobbik to withdraw its EP list, saying its candidates undermined Hungary’s interests. Jobbik’s leader, he said, talked of exiting the EU and “his personal assistant urges crowds to spit on a prominent Vojvodina Hungarian politician”. And, according to press reports, their third candidate spied for Russia, he added.

Mesterhazy told MTI that there are differences in emphasis between the programme of his party and that of Ferenc Gyurcsany’s leftist Democratic Coalition (DK). For instance, the idea of a United States of Europe, backed by DK, is totally unacceptable to the Socialists, he said.

Photo: MTI – Sandor Ujvari

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters