The Hungarian sentiments were echoed by other MEPs.Continue reading
After the government met on Wednesday, this morning, Minister Gergely Gulyás, Head of the Prime Minister’s Office, and Eszter Vitályos, Government Spokesperson, held a government press briefing. At yesterday’s cabinet meeting, the government assessed the war situation, including a review of the front lines and the reaction of Europe and its allies.
“The situation is getting more and more difficult, and there are many reasons for this,” Magyar Nemzet quotes Gergely Gulyás as saying at today’s press briefing. As he said, the Ukrainian army is finding it difficult to hold the front line, and the consequence of this is the forced conscription that is taking place throughout the country. Ukrainian citizens, including Hungarians, are also threatened by forced conscription in Transcarpathia, the politician pointed out. He stressed, however, that
Hungary will not extradite anyone to Ukraine.
The government considers statements calling for military intervention in Ukraine irresponsible, he added. The Minister said that the biggest institutional threat is the NATO mission in Ukraine.
Hungary’s interest is that NATO should only and exclusively make a decision – if NATO troops want to enter Ukraine – from which Hungary can completely opt out.”
Gergely Gulyás. Photo: MTI/Koszticsák Szilárd
Reviewing the proceedings before the European Court of Justice, the Minister said that Hungary would face a fine for not implementing a ruling, but the ECJ has postponed the announcement of the decision until June 13.
We are being fined because of the legal border closure and we would be ordered to pay six million forints a day. This shows the European attitude towards border protection,”
said Gulyás.
He added that although migration is not so much in focus because of the war, the stakes of the unity vote are also that MPs who do not support migration and support the strictest external border protection will get a majority in the European Parliament.
Commenting on the assassination attempt on Robert Fico and the hate speech that followed on social media, the Minister said there was a degree of hate politics that was illegal and against the law. “It is illegal, freedom of expression is not the same as incitement to hatred. Faceless, unidentifiable hate speech, incitement to physical abuse by some, should not be tolerated,” he stressed.
He added: “It is dangerous for the country to hold pro-war views, but it is not illegal. It can be debated in the shop and it can be debated in Brussels. But open incitement to hatred is not an acceptable part of it.”
Responding to a question, the Minister summarized what there is to know about the Hungarian EU Presidency, which starts in July.
There will be four priority areas: security and defense policy, improving competitiveness, reforming agricultural policy, and tackling demographic issues.
He added that the Article 7 procedure is only a question of political will, as the procedure against Poland was terminated without any action being taken, but only a change in the political perception of the country in the EU. “Anyone who thinks that law matters more in the EU than in the Soviet Union is mistaken. The procedure is not important, some people are having fun with it. And it has nothing to do with resources, EU money keeps coming in,” he stressed.
Via Magyar Nemzet, Featured image: MTI/Koszticsák Szilárd
