CPAC Hungary Day 2: the World’s Conservatives Enjoy Free Speech in Budapest

On day 2 of the CPAC Hungary conference Conservative politicians and opinion-makers have continued to discuss topics ranging from the future of Europe, migration and the fight-back against woke cancel culture.

The conference was opened by a video message from former US President Donald Trump. Following that, in his introductory speech, Gergely Gulyás, the minister responsible for the Prime Minister’s office, welcomed the conference’s guests in Budapest, the “City of Freedom”.

He pointed out that initially Hungarians thought that membership in the European Union will mean freedom for countries emerging from the Iron Curtain. 20 years later though we are the ones representing freedom in the EU and we are the ones having to fight for it. In Brussels now one cannot hold a demonstration, nor organize a conference if they have conservative views. Freedom is in danger because the European liberal elite considers the law the same way as communists did, that is, the law is being transformed into a servant of politics.

The Minister continued by saying that those countries who have a conservative outlook (i.e. Serbia, ed. note) are simply not accepted into the EU, such as the ones south of Hungary. There is little hope that in Western Europe forces representing a conservative common sense could win in the near future. Therefore Central Europe must be considered the hope of Europe, because in Hungary conservatives have proved that they can win with a sovereigntist message, and people do stand behind them. The US is our ally, he continued, and there conservative forces do have a real chance of winning in the November presidential elections. If all goes well, from January 2025 the White House will have a leader with whom Europe can cooperate. For Europe a cooperation with US Christians and conservatives is essential, emphasized Gergely Gulyás.

The next speaker, former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, has focused on making Europe a “home, factory and fortress” in his speech. He thanked Viktor Orbán for the invitation to the CPAC conference, and called Budapest the city of freedom. He contrasted the Hungarian capital to Brussels, where conservative speakers were almost prevented from presenting their views during the NatCon conference on April 16. In Poland, he said, Mr. Morawiecki is being depicted by his political opponents as going to a pro-Russian gathering in Budapest’s CPAC. However, he pointed out, it was the friends (Germany, ed. note) of current liberal Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk who have only offered helmets to Ukraine while his party, PiS, sent real help and assistance. Liberal politicians have made serious mistakes in Europe that lead to the war in Ukraine, he pointed out.

In his address, Mr. Morawiecki emphasized the importance of raising European defense budgets in line with US defense expenditure. But this must not come at the expense of GDP growth and welfare expenditure, he explained. The rise of conflicts is a sure sign of the rise of a multi-polar world. The world is becoming a more dangerous place. But are we doing enough to make Europe a safe home for all of us, he asked?

In his view, the EU is beginning to resemble the Roman Empire just before its fall. Romans have faced disease just as we faced the pandemic, they were destabilized by a mass movement of people as we are also witnessing a new migratory wave. If not for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s brave stance in 2016-17, we would be already in a critical situation, he pointed out. Now we are in the middle of a second attempt by liberals attacking the stability and peace of Europe through migration, said the former Polish Prime Minister.

He continued his comparison by saying that as the Roman Empire had neglected its military shortly before its fall, now Europeans are doing the same. The Romans were also infected by bureaucracy the same way as is the case with Brussels. In contrast, we must become a community of ambitious nations. We must learn how to navigate a multi-polar world, and we need leadership for that. Instead, the EU institutions are now preparing a change of treaties with the aim of centralizing political power in Brussels. The European Commission and the European Parliament aim to grab all the power, and that is a dangerous process, he pointed out. The current Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk supports this process despite past statement pledging to oppose it, he said.

Closing his speech Mr. Morawiecki called conservatives “a positive and creative force”. It is a force for the future, but also a force building on Christian values. In his view, what has happened in Brussels at the NatCon conference is also happening in Poland. Free speech is suppressed, and someone is trying to gain absolute power. We see this all around Europe, therefore the European elections in June are crucial. If conservatives do not gain power, there will be a huge pressure towards liberal oppression. A doctrine of political pragmatism and common sense, based on Christian values must prevail, said Mr. Morawiecki.

Our live reporting will continue soon…

Featured Image: Photo: Hungary Today