Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Anita Orbán says Hungary is undergoing a profound transformation, but the legacy of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán remains deeply rooted in the economy, institutions and society.
FM Orbán gave an interview
Hungary is undergoing a major political transformation, but dismantling the system built during Viktor Orbán’s years in power will take time, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Anita Orbán told Estonian security and defence journal The Baltic Sentinel in an extensive interview at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Budapest.
Anita Orbán said the new government was working to restore the rule of law, strengthen independent institutions and pursue money allegedly stolen under the previous government. She also said Hungary needed more time to reduce its dependence on Russian oil and natural gas, while outlining the government’s ambition to meet the Maastricht criteria and adopt the euro by the end of its term.
‘The entire system has to be dismantled’
Asked how much of Viktor Orbán’s political system remained in place, Anita Orbán said that changing the government alone was not enough. “A great deal,” she said, arguing that the government needed to dismantle the broader system built under the previous administration.
According to the foreign minister, the government has introduced a “very busy legislative agenda” aimed at reversing what she described as state capture and restoring the independence of institutions, including the Constitutional Court and government agencies.
She highlighted Hungary’s decision to join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and the establishment of the National Asset Recovery and Protection Office, which she said is tasked with pursuing stolen public money, recovering it and returning it to public use.
The government has also abolished the Sovereignty Protection Office, which Anita Orbán accused of harassing civil society and journalists. But she stressed that the former prime minister’s influence extends beyond institutions.
“His influence is also entrenched in the economy and, unfortunately, to some extent in people’s mindsets.”
Could Viktor Orbán face arrest?
The interview also touched on the recent detention of two ministers who served under the former government. Asked directly whether Viktor Orbán himself could eventually end up in handcuffs, Anita Orbán did not rule it out.
“We’ll see,” she replied.
She said the government was committed to pursuing stolen public funds and that Hungary needed to become a country “where actions have consequences”. The foreign minister said the recent detentions were symbolic, describing them as part of the government’s effort to establish new standards of integrity and political conduct.
Hungary still heavily dependent on Russian energy
Anita Orbán also acknowledged that Hungary remains significantly dependent on Russian energy. Hungary continues to purchase a large share of its oil and natural gas from Russia, while its current exemption from sanctions runs until November 21, according to the foreign minister. Hungary has asked the United States to extend the exemption.
Asked whether the country simply needed more time to end its dependence on Russia, Anita Orbán replied: “We simply need more time.” She argued that the government had inherited an economy and an energy system heavily dependent on Russian supplies, which provide the heating and electricity on which people rely. At the same time, she said Hungary was working on diversifying its energy supplies and strengthening energy security.
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Government targets euro adoption
The government also faces a difficult fiscal situation, with Anita Orbán saying the budget deficit had initially stood at 8.3% before falling to 7.5%. She attributed part of the improvement to EU funding recovered by the new government.
The minister said the government had sought savings without introducing austerity measures or new burdens. Instead, it had cut what she described as unnecessary and luxury spending, including travel expenses and politicians’ allowances.
“Our goal is to meet the Maastricht criteria by the end of our term so that we can adopt the euro,” she said. The government therefore intends to combine tighter control of public spending with efforts to generate economic growth.
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Hungary says Ukraine must follow the normal EU accession path
On Ukraine’s EU membership ambitions, Anita Orbán reiterated that Hungary supports a merit-based enlargement process but opposes any fast-track accession. She said two of the six EU negotiating clusters had already been opened for Ukraine and stressed that Hungary had participated in the consensus behind those decisions.
However, she said Ukraine should undergo the same reform process as previous EU candidates. “We support a merit-based approach,” she said, adding that Hungary does not support “fast-track membership or any shortcuts around the normal process”. Hungary plans to hold a referendum on Ukraine’s EU membership at the end of the accession process, according to the minister.
Stay up-to-date: Hungarian foreign minister Anita Orbán speaks to CNN about changes under new government
‘Hungary is returning to Europe’
Anita Orbán also portrayed the political changes of recent months as a return to Hungary’s European democratic traditions. She said Hungary was returning to its “cultural heritage” and its place “in Europe, in the heart of Europe, in the European Union and in NATO”.
According to the minister, the country is returning to democracy, the rule of law, freedom of speech and freedom of the press. She acknowledged that the transformation would take time, particularly given that the previous government had been in power for 16 years.
Anita Orbán also highlighted the symbolic importance of 2026, which marks the 70th anniversary of Hungary’s 1956 revolution. She said the government wants the October 23 commemoration to underline the idea that Hungarians have the courage to defend freedom, human rights and democracy.
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The choice of background says it all about who she’s working for and what her priorities are.