Orbán: We’ve sent the Russians home, now it’s the EU’s turn! – UPDATE
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán quoted his speech delivered 36 years ago at the reburial of Imre Nagy in a Facebook post on Monday morning.
1989-2025
“Then and now. Thirty-six years ago, we made history at Heroes’ Square: we sent the Russians home. Now we have returned to the scene of the deed with Tamás Deutsch and Zoltán Rockenbauer,” wrote Viktor Orbán on Facebook.
He added: “Those who are young today may not even be able to imagine what life was like before the change of regime. What is censorship? If you post something that the powers that be don’t like, they come for you the next day and take you away. Because you had an opinion. It took great courage to become free back then. And it takes courage now to preserve our freedom.”
“We sent the Russians home. We have already defeated one empire. Now comes the second – if Brussels considers itself an empire,”
wrote the prime minister, concluding his post with: “Just so you know: we Hungarians are not in the habit of throwing in the towel. Not then, not now.”
Viktor Orbán was a Soros scholar in 1988–1989. Since April 1988, he had been employed by the Soros Foundation as a researcher, and it was after this that the speech in question was delivered. He then continued his studies at Pembroke College, Oxford, on a Soros Foundation scholarship in September 1989.
As we wrote last week, Orbán said, if Putin comes to Hungary, he will be received with full honours – details HERE
Would Russian occupation and EU membership be the same thing?
The Russian occupation of Hungary lasted for 40 years, in political, economic, and military terms. It is rather strange to compare the EU to the Soviet Union, since while accession to the EU took place in 2004 after a referendum with over 80% support, the Russians subjugated Hungary and oppressed the Hungarian people in every respect. In addition, EU subsidies have been a huge source of support for Hungary since the beginning, especially for Viktor Orbán’s circle, which has been the big winner of EU subsidies since 2010.
It should be noted that HUXIT is not popular in Hungary, but Viktor Orbán’s image as a freedom fighter was shaped in this way, which is likely to damage the prime minister’s reputation. Support for EU membership at the national level ranges between approximately 74–86% (Republikon: 79%, Medián: 86%, Eurobarometer: 74%). This shows that people want peaceful coexistence with Brussels and do not support senseless fighting.
Not the first time
This is not the first time Viktor Orbán has used this comparison: he made a similar statement in his speech on 23 October 2024, the anniversary of the 1956 revolution. At that time, he said that
“Brussels is not Moscow, but today we must fight just as hard for our freedom.”
The parallel aimed to criticise the European Union’s centralising tendencies and the suppression of Hungarian national interests.
According to analysts, these statements foreshadow the upcoming EU summits and EU debates on Hungary, particularly on energy and foreign policy issues, where Hungary continues to hold a unique position. Latest related article from today: Orbán slams EU bid to override veto and ban Russian energy
Read here for more news about PM Viktor Orbán
Read also: Russian citizens receiving Hungarian citizenship double since Ukraine war began
UPDATE – Magyar: Orban’s speech at Nagy re-burial ‘more relevant than ever’
The thoughts expressed in a speech of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at the re-burial of Imre Nagy, the martyred prime minister of the 1956 anti-communist uprising, “are more relevant than ever”, Péter Magyar, the leader of the opposition Tisza party, said on Facebook on the 36th anniversary of the speech on Monday.
“If we believe in our own strength, we will be able to put an end to communist dictatorship; if we are resolute enough, we can push the ruling party to submit to free elections. If we don’t lose sight of the principles of ’56, we can elect a government that will start talks immediately on starting the withdrawal of Russian troops. If we are brave enough, if we want this, then and only then can we fulfil the will of our revolution. No one can believe that this one-party state will change of its own volition,”
Magyar quoted Orbán’s 1989 speech.
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