In addition to public media access, MEPs reportedly raised concerns over the possible misuse of EU funds in Hungary through the recently introduced system of foundations too, Delbos-Corfield said.Continue reading
“We will be loyal members of the European Union and NATO, not traitors,” said Péter Márki-Zay, the joint opposition’s candidate for prime minister in Brussels. During his visit, the mayor of Hódmezővásárhely also made a promise to introduce the euro in Hungary as soon as possible and to join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office. Márki-Zay arrived in the Belgian capital for two days to hold talks with several leading EU politicians, including EPP leader Manfred Weber and Commissioner Vera Jourová.
Márki-Zay held his first program in a downtown restaurant, where he recalled the opposition primaries, saying that last week he was already anticipating the final result and thanked his rivals, whom he also called his allies.
The opposition PM candidate said he has been a Christian and right-winger “longer than Viktor Orbán and Fidesz.”
He described the current Hungarian government as “a fascist party-state being built by Viktor Orbán,” which he said many people had voted for in the past simply because of the lack of alternatives.
The politician also talked about his plans to introduce the euro in Hungary as soon as possible, to join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, and to be a loyal member of the European Union and NATO.
“We will be loyal members of the European Union and NATO, not traitors. To this end, we will eradicate corruption, join the eurozone, and expel the criminal migrants imported by Fidesz,” Péter Márki-Zay said at a press conference in Brussels on Wednesday. The opposition’s candidate for PM added that EU funds should be used to “ensure the prosperity of the Hungarian nation and not to enrich the Orbán family.”
The opposition’s prime minister candidate stressed that it is important for the EU to be much more careful in the way it disburses EU funds, as these funds should be used to ensure the well-being of Hungarian citizens, and “not to enrich the Orbán family and Fidesz criminals.”
“The opposition would like Hungary to meet the criteria of the rule of law, and above all to ensure that the regime does not steal European taxpayers’ money. In this context, we agree that the European Union should consider a hundred times for what and under what conditions it gives financial support and ensure that as much of this money as possible reaches Hungarian taxpayers,” he added.
Probably an important message from the political players in the European Union is that the opposition politician had the chance to meet several high-level EU politicians, including the heads of some of the major political parties of the EU.
Alongside the leaders of the Social Democrats, the Liberals and the Greens, Manfred Weber, leader of the European People’s Party, also met Márki-Zay on Wednesday.
As the opposition candidate for prime minister said in a statement, they agreed on the need to rebuild democracy in Hungary. They also discussed migration, tax policies, and the importance of the role of NGOs in society.
According to his program, Márki-Zay also met with the President of the Party of European Socialists (PES), Sergei Stanishev, and the President of the Belgian Christian Democratic Party (CD&V), Joachim Coens. It is also interesting to note that Márki-Zay also met two members of the European Commission, Nicolas Schmit, Commissioner for Employment, and Paolo Gentiloni, Commissioner for Economic Policy.
Furthermore, the mayor of Hódmezővásárhely had talks with Vera Jourová, the Vice-President of the European Commission for Transparency and Values, who is known to have a very tense relationship with the Orbán-led government.
Featured photo via Péter Márki-Zay’s Facebook page