Misunderstanding? PM Orbán ‘definitely not’ wants Hungary to be an EU member

Some say that the European Commission’s latest decision not to give money for Erasmus and Horizon programs for the foundation-run universities in Hungary is already a Huxit in the country’s higher education. However, PM Orbán talked about something else yesterday while complaining about Hungary’s state as an EU member. Details below.

Orbán talked with journalists – one of them leaked what he said

PM Viktor Orbán spoke yesterday informally in his office to 15 participants of an international media conference organised by the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC). Orbán warned of the danger of an escalation of the war. One of the journalists taking part published an article about the event in The American Conservative. He wrote “someone asked the prime minister if he wanted Hungary to stay in the EU”.

“Definitely not!”, came the unexpected answer from PM Orbán. However, the article says the prime minister added Hungary has no choice since 85 percent of the Hungarian export are within the EU. The Hungarian press almost immediately wrote that. Soon, somebody modified the article.

The shocking ‘definitely not’ answer disappeared and gave space to a lamentation of the Hungarian prime minister about how difficult it was for him to negotiate or even visit Brussels. “Orbán said it is painful for him personally to have Hungary in the EU, subject to its bullying, but there is no question that Hungary will remain in the EU because the economic prosperity depends on it”, the article says now. That means the previously mentioned 85 percent export rate was also erased from the writing.

• Read also: Expert: Orbán suggested Huxit behind closed doors

The prime minister slammed Brussels

In the second half of that paragraph, the author highlights how difficult is to deal with the EU bureaucracy for Orbán. However, Orbán says it has to be done “because it is in Hungary’s national interest”.

What remained unchanged in the modified article is the following statement: “everything bad from the last thirty years of the European history is embedded in Brussels”, the Hungarian prime minister said to the journalists, which is, so far, probably the harshest EU criticism from Orbán. “It’s not easy for me going there and being the bastard of everything”, Hungary’s strongman added.

Rtl.hu wanted The American Conservative to comment on the issue but has received no answer.

PM Orbán’s press chief, Bertalan Havasi, said that Orbán cleared it multiple times that Hungary’s EU membership is not a question of wishes. It is the national interest. Orbán talked about that in his speech to the parliament and with the guests of the MCC conference.

• Read also: Leaked speech: Orbán said when Hungary should consider leaving the EU

Peace needed in Ukraine

Rtl.hu wrote that Orbán told the partakers Brussels needed to demonise Hungary because the country’s success makes Brussels’ policy and ideology suspicious.

He also said that an immediate ceasefire should be agreed upon in Ukraine and peace talks launched, even if negotiations may take months or even years to conclude. He expressed Russia could not be defeated, but it would not be able to win either. Therefore, the Russians will fight until they destroy Ukraine.

Opinion polls show that the sweeping majority of Hungarians are for the country’s EU membership. Therefore, a Huxit would be a political disaster for Orbán and his Fidesz party.

Forty speakers from 13 countries are addressing the two-day conference on the media market entitled On the Future of Publishing.

Read alsoHungarians still do not want HUXIT

Source: rtl.hu