VIDEO: Counter-protester interrupts start of Viktor Orbán’s press conference in Strasbourg – UPDATE
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán answered journalists’ questions for two hours in the European Parliament on Tuesday afternoon. The Hungarian prime minister held a press conference the day before he was due to present the programme of the Hungarian presidency in the EP.
Hungary’s EU presidency to table five-year competitiveness deal
Hungary’s presidency of the Council of the European Union will propose a new European competitiveness deal, extending for five years, at an informal summit in Budapest on November 8, PM Orbán said at a press conference in Strasbourg on Tuesday.
Orbán said a reduction in administrative burdens and overregulation, affordable energy prices, green industrial policy and a strengthening of the internal market were part of the new competitiveness deal. He added that obstacles to the movement of goods and services needed to be removed, while EU capital markets had to be bolstered and a policy of connectivity advanced.
He said the EU needed change and Hungary’s EU presidency wanted to be a catalyst for that change.
Orbán said the deterioration of Europe’s competitiveness was a “big challenge” in the context of the war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East and in Africa that were at risk of escalation. He also pointed to security threats not seen since the 2015 migration crisis.
Orbán: Migration cannot be stopped without ‘external hotspots’
Illegal migration cannot be stopped without setting up hotspots outside the European Union, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told a press conference in Strasbourg on Tuesday, adding that those who had made it to the EU “will never leave”.
The only way to stop migration is by forging a consensus between member states on obliging those wanting to enter the bloc to “stop at the border, request admission, and they’re not allowed to enter the EU until their request is assessed”. “If we can’t achieve that, we will never stop migration,” he said.
No government is ready to “round up” migrants already within the borders and expel them from the EU, he said. “The only migrants who won’t stay are the ones we don’t allow in,” Orbán said.
Security guards had to detain opposition protester
Orbán had just started the central part of his speech when Márton Gyekiczki, a member of the DK youth organisation, rushed to his table and shouted several times:
How much did you betray the country for, Prime Minister?
He repeated this several times and then shouted on the way out that the Hungarian Prime Minister had sold Hungary to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
How much did [PM’s political director] Balázs Orbán get to betray the country, Mr Prime Minister?”
related article: Official of Orbán cabinet says they would NOT have defended Hungary in case of a Russian invasion
After the DK activist was detained and led out by guards, Orbán responded that in Hungarian politics, calling someone a villain only means that you disagree with them.
Here’s the video showing how a DK local council member interrupted Orbán’s press conference in Strasbourg.
The event was disrupted by Márton Gyekiczki, a DK councilor from Érd, who threw paper notes and yelled, “How much did you betray the country for, Mr. Prime Minister?”… pic.twitter.com/dZiVhtfFnd
— Pete (@splendid_pete) October 8, 2024
The clear statement of Balázs Orbán, criticised by many:
“Based precisely on ’56, we probably would not have done what President Zelensky did 2.5 years ago, because it is irresponsible, because one can see that he took his country into a war of defense”
A video of Balázs Orbán’s interview, with English subtitles
Related article: Is Hungary’s NATO membership at risk? German-French démarche after PM Orbán’s political director’s cowardly words
Orbán proposes Schengen summit to handle migration
The Hungarian presidency of the European Union proposes introducing a system of Schengen summits to tackle the issue of migration, PM Orbán said.
Orbán told a presser presenting the EU presidency’s programmme that the EU did not have a successful common migration policy and member states were trying to protect themselves individually.
At the same time those individual attempts were threatening to “dismantle” the Schengen system, so “one large common decision is needed” instead, he said.
Orbán said the Hungarian presidency’s proposal was that similarly to the eurozone countries’ summits, the leaders of Schengen countries should regularly meet, and they should manage the Schengen borders at the highest political level together “similarly to how the euro is being managed”.
Europe will never be complete without integration of Balkans
Europe would never be complete without the integration of the Balkans, which is why the Hungarian presidency has called for a European Union and Western Balkans summit, PM Orbán said.
Orbán told an international presser on the Hungarian presidency’s programme following a plenary of the European Parliament that EU defence policy and strengthening its technological basis were on the presidency’s agenda and they will be on the agenda of a Budapest meeting on November 7.
He said the next item on the planned agenda for the talks is enlargement policy, and added that Europe will never be complete without the integration of the Balkans.
“We promised to the Western Balkans countries twenty years ago that they will be given entry, and it is time to fulfill the promise,”
he said, adding that the Hungarian presidency has also called a summit of the Western Balkans and the European Union.
He said enlargement must be merit-based, adding that without Serbia, no enlargement will be successful because the Western Balkans countries cannot be integrated without Serbia.
Orbán said the Hungarian presidency also addressed agriculture. The goal is to create a competitive, crisis-resistant and farmer-friendly European agriculture, he said.
If the programme points of the Hungarian presidency are fulfilled, then its slogan “Make Europe Great Again” will come to life, he added.
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4 Comments
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
But Victor orban didn’t answer the question of the activist. How much did he and balasz got for being the puppet if Russia and china?
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
More BS from Orban. There is no reason why other Balkan countries can gain accession without Serbia being admitted. Orban and the rest of the Fidesz bandits constantly make conclusive statements completely without providing an explanation of why. Serbia would be another Russian proxy veto country inside the EU if it ever was admitted into the EU. I would agree with the counter-protestor. Fidesz politicians are paid by Russia to do these things to further Russian interests and it is completely in Russian interests to have Serbia inside the EU in order to cause the same kind of disruption that Fidesz has been doing. No thanks!
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
Victor Mihaly. Orban.
WHEN growing humongous FACTUAL evidence is available, that Orban – just on the subject of the DISTILLATION of Democracy he has DRIVEN bought about in Hungary – his expanding relationships and partnerships with Communist – China and Russia that Orban “Parades” around as the GOFER of China and Russia.
Respect Creditability – DESTROYED and replaced by bought on through his “Judas” behaviour and character – Victor Mihaly. Orban – on the people of Hungary and DEMOCRACY.
Orban – his Fidesz Government – have SCUTTLED the country Hungary.
Hungary – under 15 years of the Orban – Fidesz Government, that control media, the judiciary, that Rule by Decree that has DELIVERED this country to a deepening NADIR un-known place, that Economically & Financial is in CHAOS, that the DEBT of Government in Borrowings from China and Russia, in Debt(s) through Fines handed down by Legal process by the European Union – places Hungary in the category of Perilous – for its FUTURE.
Hungary’s currency – the Forint continues on its path of De-valuation.
Poverty in Hungary – population number 9.6 million – an “ageing” and reducing population number is represented by 3.1% over 3 million LIVING in POVERTY.
Orban – the GOFER and “other” that is a “Judas” to DEMOCRACY.
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
I made a typo on my comment above. The sentence should have read: “There is no reason why other Balkan countries cannot gain accession to the EU without Serbia being admitted”.