The German newspaper wrote that PM Orbán suffered defeats in the last few months, so he had to make concessions and win the benevolence of Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Andreas Bock, a Hungary-expert of the European Council on Foreign Relations think-tank, told Die Welt that PM Orbán weakened for the following reasons. The Hungarian prime minister could not gain the victory he wanted in the European parliamentary elections since he fell below 45%. Péter Magyar, the ex-husband of former Justice Minister Judit Varga, created the biggest opposition party in just months, and he knows all the schemes of Fidesz since he was an insider for years. He lost his regional allies and could not become a member of any European parties yet. Meanwhile, Magyar joined the EPP.
Orbán and Scholz on Friday. Who will win? Photo: FB/Orbán
Therefore, Mr Bock said a weakened Orbán met with Olaf Scholz on Friday. Moreover, he had to win the benevolence of the chancellor to get the frozen EU euro billions Hungary needed so much. Thus, Orbán must make concessions.
According to the Hungarian News Agency, Orbán and Scholz focused mainly on economic issues in Berlin.
Economic cooperation firm basis
Economic cooperation provides a firm basis for Germany-Hungary cooperation, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said after talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin on Friday, adding that they had agreed to further strengthen economic ties.
Speaking to Hungarian public media, Orbán said the talks had focused on European affairs and German-Hungarian bilateral ties.
Audi in Hungary. Photo: Facebook/Szijjártó Péter
Bilateral trade was record high last year exceeding 70 billion euros, with a quarter of Hungarian exports arriving in Germany, he noted.
German companies employ 250,000-300,000 Hungarians, primarily in the automotive industry, Orbán said.
The prime minister said he and Scholz were in agreement that “a generation change” was taking place in the car industry. “It is very important that Hungary should be involved in the German technological transformation,” he added.
Orbán underlined that Hungary was one of three countries in the world where all three major German carmakers were present.
Orbán-EPP conflict not Germany-Hungary conflict
“Hungary has a special role in the operation of Germany’s industry, and we expect jobs, economic growth and tax revenues [from them]”, “this is the backbone of Germany-Hungary relations”, he added.
Orbán said the EU’s competitiveness must be increased, and Hungary is ready to prepare a plan that will be able to improve competitiveness. Talks are under way in this regard with other member states, he added. The goal is that instead of isolation and reacting to global changes based on “the logic of fear”, Europe should expand economic ties and strengthen its network of relations globally, he said. Instead of closing in, it should be ready for competition, he added.
Photo: MTI
Orbán said he and Scholz had clarified at their meeting that conflicts between Hungary and Manfred Weber, the leader of the European People’s Party (EPP), were not conflicts between Hungary and Germany but conflicts between Brussels and Hungary. Those conflicts Orbán said did not weigh on the country’s cooperation with Germany.
Manfred Weber is “a Hungarophobic person, he hates Hungarians,” Orbán said, adding that the EPP leader had put the blame on Hungarians for not having been elected president of the European Commission. Weber is “one of our oldest opponents,
Gender silliness
Improving the demographic situation in Europe is one of the primary goals of Hungary’s upcoming EU presidency, Orbán said. He added that he wanted governments to be able to help one another in increasing family support. “Migration will certainly be among the topics, and all efforts will be made to ensure that Europe continues to belong to Europeans,” he added.
In response to a question concerning whether Hungary would be able to take steps in connection with gender issues, Orbán said that “the entire gender silliness” which “stirs up” the traditional European order of cohabitation and education of children is not expressly included in the Hungarian presidency’s programme.
Budapest Pride on 22 June. Photo: MTI
“We do not want to deal with it, we do not even understand exactly what it is, we have a life and we want to live the same way as we have lived so far,” he added.
FM Szijjártó: Hungary to ensure cooperation between German car manufacturers, Asian suppliers
Hungary will continue to ensure unhindered cooperation between German car makers and Asian suppliers, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said after talks with local automotive industry leaders in Berlin on Friday.
According a statement from the foreign ministry, Szijjártó said the electromobility transition as well as the economic interests of Hungary hinged on that East-West cooperation.
Photo: Facebook/Szijjártó Péter
“It is clear — and Hungary is an outstanding example — that the technological transition can be successful at the corporate level as well as the level of national economy if international trade is free, if global economic cooperation is not obstructed, if nobody hinders East-West cooperation among businesses,” he added.
Szijjártó said punitive tariffs on Chinese EV makers proposed by the European Commission would “do more harm than good” for the European economy. He added that Hungary would focus attention on ensuring the EC allowed “normal East-West cooperation yielding mutual benefits” to be maintained, instead of contributing to efforts to form economic blocs when it took the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of the year.
Szijjártó met Andreas Rade, the managing director of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), and Thomas Schwarz, Audi’s head of government affairs.
Read also:
- Did PM Orbán and opposition leader Péter Magyar meet in Stuttgart earlier today? – Read more HERE
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2 Comments
Totality of COMPLIANCE – agreeing to DO so, that’s the MESSAGE – ringing in the ears of the “embattled” Prime Minister of Hungary – Victor M. Orban, and his “Major” spokesperson “Lap Gog” – the Foreign Minister and of Trade – Peter Szijjarto.
Comply, there will be NO rightfully granted CONCESSIONS extended to Hungary.
If the European Union “agreed” on softening it’s STANCE on Hungary, that saw a “freeing” up release of FUNDING, not forgetting in the recent past 3 weeks, the MASSIVE fines, at a daily interest rate that has been IMPOSED under Laws of the European Union, on Hungary, that again come under Hungary’s practice of it’s FAILINGS to COMPLY.
The “Dye is Cast” – in fact it GROWS in it’s IMPACT – it’s FORCE on Hungary – through principally the Victor M. Orban continual ATTACKS, the Disrespect, over years, generated coming out of Victor M. Orban,
The repeated replicated “Staged Managed” practice(s) – in the Fabrications of Facts – the “Veiling” of Truth, replacing it with FALSE version’s of Truth – that have been DELIBERATLY created, major examples WHY and rightly why – by the message continues loud & clear to Orban, to Hungary out of Brussels, that Hungary you will receive NO Favours.
Comply – or LEAVE – the WRONGFUL place, that Victor M. Orban has taken Hungary to in its CRUMBLING place of Membership in the European Union, that see’s Hungary, ranked 26 of 27 Member country’s in it’s over-all QUALITIES – in particular – lifestyle qualities to its CITIZENS, that continue to WORSEN.
Repulsive.
Orban – should NEVER be appeased, on this one FACT alone by Hungarians – the DESTRUCTION of our European Union Membership, the disgrace, the disrespect, the image reputation, the DAMAGE the EMBARRASSMENT – to the name Hungary, the relationships DESTROYED by Orban with numbers of “other” long standing “friendship” country’s – ALL Democratic Governed country’s – that Victor M. Orban has ORCHESTRATED – Treacherous in PRACTICE.
Lot’s still to be REVEALED on Hungary’s – it’s “place” as a European Union Member Country, that won’t be or be of assistance to the declining state of the entire PICTURE – Economy, Financial and “other” of Hungary, under the Prime Ministership of Victor M. Orban and the Fidesz led Government of Hungary.
Hungary cannot and must not accept Scholz’ rhetoric at face value. Germany and the rest of the EU socialist countries will betray Hungary at a drop of the coin.