Hungary’s government has decided to set up its own post-pandemic recovery fund within the state budget’s economy protection fund and pre-finance projects that would be paid for by the European recovery fund, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Friday.
In his regular interview to public broadcaster Kossuth Rádió, Orbán said the European Union was seeking a two-month delay in the talks on Hungary’s recovery plan. The most important aspect of the European recovery fund is that it is fast, the prime minister said, adding that delaying the payments called into question the essence of the fund.
Hungary is entitled to the recovery funds, Orbán said.
“They can delay them, but can’t withhold them,
so the government has decided to pre-finance the programmes that Brussels has already approved,” he said. “We’ll pay for those projects whether we get money from Brussels or not,” Orbán added.
Moreover, he said that Brussels attacked Hungary and that was why a referendum concerning child protection was necessary. Orbán insisted that in a document sent to the Hungarian government
the European Commission demanded that Hungary change its child protection laws.
Although family and child protection laws are a national competency, Brussels has “put enormous pressure on us”, Orbán said. “They will blackmail, threaten, and launch infringement procedures, delay payments, but we cannot give in because the future of our children is at stake,” he said.
Orbán said that “the government alone will not be strong enough in that fight; we need support from every Hungarian”. He said that “it was like that in the case of mandatory migrant quotas, the government in itself could not resist, but Hungarian voters protected the whole of Europe against a mandatory distribution of migrants”, he said.
According to Orbán, Brussels “wants us to allow LGBTQ activists in schools,
and the European Commission thinks that some rights at school will precede parental rights”. The European Union expects it to “contribute to the fulfillment of the ideal of European freedom” but “children are not part of the freedom of adults and this is not an issue of freedom but of child protection”, the prime minister said. “They want to take the education of children away from us,” he insisted, but added that “things may be different in Western Europe but
the education of Hungarian children is up to Hungarians.”
Orbán rejected allegations that the government was aiming to divert public attention from other issues by way of the referendum, saying that the vote could be held in January or February next year. He encouraged voters to participate because “staying away is boycotting the vote and leaving it to the majority to decide”. He also said that the aim of the referendum was “to protect the law” already in place, “therefore a boycott has no point”.
Concerning the Pegasus case Orbán said that the interior minister “has already said everything there is to be said”.
On another subject, Orbán said that the government had decided to set up its own post-pandemic recovery fund within the state budget’s economy protection fund and pre-finance projects that would be paid for by the European recovery fund.
The prime minister said that the European Union was seeking a two-month delay in the talks on Hungary’s recovery plan. The most important aspect of the European recovery fund is that it is fast, the prime minister said, adding that delaying the payments called into question the essence of the fund.
Hungary is entitled to the recovery funds, Orbán said. “They can delay them, but can’t withhold them, so the government has decided to pre-finance the programmes that Brussels has already approved,” he said.
The prime minister said that the European Union was seeking a two-month delay in the talks on Hungary’s recovery plan. The most important aspect of the European recovery fund is that it is fast, the prime minister said, adding that delaying the payments called into question the essence of the fund.
Hungary is entitled to the recovery funds, Orbán said. “They can delay them, but can’t withhold them, so the government has decided to pre-finance the programmes that Brussels has already approved,” he said.
“We’ll pay for those projects whether we get money from Brussels or not,” Orbán added.
In another development Orbán said that the fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic had started in Western Europe, adding that Hungary “will also be a part of it”. He insisted, however, that Hungary, with 55 percent of its population fully inoculated, was one of Europe’s safest countries in that respect. He added that Hungary was the first country in Europe that will be offering booster Covid shots from August 1. The health service is encouraging the unvaccinated elderly to get the jab, while a vaccination drive will also be launched at schools for kids over 12 before the school year starts, he said.
Concerning the Tokyo Olympics, the prime minister said that if the games were held in Hungary “they would be played under regular circumstances”.
Concerning the Tokyo Olympics, the prime minister said that if the games were held in Hungary “they would be played under regular circumstances”.
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7 Comments
Oh my god, he is such a crybaby. Always blaming other people. It would be too funny if it wasn’t this sad for the Hungarians.
Brussels is flexing its muscles. They’re bullies. They’re being very difficult with brexit still. If everyone conforms to Brussels’ ideals then each country will lose its identity and we become nothing more than one massive EU state. What gives them the right to dictate when they don’t know the intricacies of each member state. They know little or nothing about each country and yet think they can force their rules on everyone. Von der Leyen was incompetent in her other roles, how she got this job is beyond me …..
He surely knows the way out. Solution is easy: make another fake survey/referendum, after all the 5XL autocrat is a master of manipulation, invent the result and bye bye EU. The rest of the Union will rejoice too.
Finding a working middle ground position – not just with the European Union – who Hungary – NEEDS – for its Future – if it wishes to retain an image “veiled” under Democracy – with other countries of Europe and the wider Global World – is just – IMPOSSIBLE – under the Philosophy and Political ideas – of this present Hungarian Government.
Hungary is under a MASSIVE global microscope.
Fighting Fire with Fire – there can be just one winner.
The loser, who will be Hungary – walks away and continues to establish build on there platform under there Political dogma – the Fidesz Party – “catechism” – the writer being Prime Minister – Victor Orban.
Fidesz – are ALL – about POWER.
The total focus of Fidesz – there Political Ideology – is the incessant on-going building of POWER – in there “inner sanctum” – of – “hands on” – active present day Members of Parliament.
This on-going increasing position and platform of incessant – taken by Fidesz – is “feed” by the oligarchy – who are the TRUE puppeteers – pulling, working the strings – marking the puppets – perform and dance to there tune.
Power – distribution of Wealth – disproportion of wealth equally and fairly shared spread out into a Democratic Society – into and across a Society – that contains citizens from “all stations in life” – keen and attentive eyes – on lessening Social Inequality – just “small scale” – WRONGNESS – that is witnessed continuously being displayed, practiced and exhibited by the Fidesz Party.
POWER – build Power – the Priorities evident of the Future – that the Fidesz Party – see will – Rule and Govern – by ALL means and – by there “catechism”.
It’s funny how he says we NEED this law and all the sheep buy it. How did we survive over a thousand years without it then? There were always gay adults, there were always kids (LGBTQ+ or not), and there were always schools. Scapegoating only works if people don’t think about it too much.
Giving the people something to focus on for his election campaign.
NOT ORBAN- since the beginning of time – sex was determined at birth. The AMA has decided sex of child to be removed from birth certificates. MOTHER status is also in doubt by the LGBS since men can give birth.
Children can choose their gender – last I heard their were 67 to choose from.
The US Vice President want to refer to by her
Pronouns.