Orbán: Hungary is ancient and modern, nationally-minded and open
Addressing a reception held in honour of the World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Saturday, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Hungarians maintained an ‘everlasting’ union with sports, the prime minister’s press chief, said in a statement.
“Anyone here in Budapest in the past few days can see that Hungary is both ancient and modern, nationally-minded and open; they see the true essence of Hungarians: passionate and respectful,” Orbán said in his address at the event held at the House of Hungarian Music. “Love of sports and respect for sports heroes supersedes almost all else.”
“It’s little wonder that we’ve hosted so many brilliant sports events,” he said, referring to aquatics championships, fencing and judo world championships, European handball championships, Giro d’Italia and the Europa League final. “Hopefully the Champions League final also will be held here soon,” he added.
Budapest is now a hub of the sports-loving world, Orbán said.
He noted that Hungary is eighth in medal table of the Summer Olympics. “And yet, we’re the only country out of the top ten not to have hosted the Olympic Games. This can’t go on like this forever,” he added.
The prime minister said Hungarians had dedicated the Championships to peace.
Finally, he thanked the event’s organisers for all their hard work.
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Whether Hungary is ancient or modern ( or both ) can be debated. What appears clear is that the illiberal regime of Orbánistan consists of a bunch of gangster-like autocrats and their oligarch friends with the bodies in our century but the mindset at times in the Middle Ages, at times in the caves of the Paleolithic. And that is the tragedy of this country.