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We can say without exaggeration that we are currently enjoying the best Slovak-Hungarian relations ever, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said at a joint press conference with his Slovak counterpart Robert Fico in Bratislava on Monday.
On behalf of Hungary and the Hungarian people, Viktor Orbán thanked Robert Fico for his “many courageous decisions, friendship, and initiatives” in the interests of friendship between the two countries in recent years. “If someone had said fifteen years ago that we would be standing here today, speaking in this tone about the relationship between the two countries, few would have believed it possible,” Orbán pointed out.
The Prime Minister confirmed that Slovakia and the Slovak people can always count on Hungary, and that Hungarians also count on Slovakia, as the two countries have many common interests. He added that
Hungary considers the Slovak national groups and communities living in Hungary to be a very valuable and respectable part of the country, and will do everything in its power to preserve their self-identity as well as their cultural and political identity.
Orbán remarked at the press conference that trade between the two countries exceeds EUR 15 billion, making Slovakia Hungary’s third most important partner. Both countries are modern industrial countries, so it is in our common interest that the customs war does not weaken our economies, he emphasized.
On the subject of migration, the Hungarian Prime Minister pointed out that Hungary is a migrant-free country and has no desire to sacrifice its children’s future with a misguided migration policy. “I am convinced that no one can restrict the sovereignty of Member States in their migration policy, no one can decide on behalf of Slovaks or Hungarians with whom we must live as a result of migration,” he stressed.
Regarding bilateral matters, he also spoke about plans to build three new roads, three new bridges, and launch new train services between Hungary and Slovakia, as well as renovating several old border crossings. Mr. Orbán recounted that as a result of the previous agreement, the number of border crossing points between the two countries has already been increased from 22 to 40, but “now we need new roads, bridges, and railways.”
On the issue of energy supply, the Prime Minister said it was regrettable that Ukraine was blocking natural gas deliveries through its territory. “We do not believe this is the way forward, as it will make it very difficult for Ukraine to move closer to Europe. They should show much more understanding towards our countries and take our economic interests into account,” he underlined. Viktor Orbán recalled that the natural gas capacity connecting the two countries had already been increased to 3.5 billion cubic meters. He added that
an agreement had now been reached with Robert Fico to increase this by a further 900 million cubic meters.
The Prime Minister noted that he and his Slovak counterpart also agreed that both countries must insist on exemption from oil purchase sanctions, as they are both landlocked countries.
Orbán also said at the briefing that democracy is not in Brussels, but in the Member States. He stated that there are 27 Member States in the European Union and 27 national interests, and that at the moment, powers are being continuously taken away from Member States through creeping changes to competences and misinterpretations and reinterpretations of the founding treaty. “This is not right. It is disrespectful,” he underlined, adding that they want Brussels to show respect for the Member States, not only symbolically, but also by respecting their interests.
27 nations, 27 national interests. Brussels’ overreach undermines sovereignty, potentially dragging us into conflicts our people never sought. Unanimity in EU foreign policy isn’t a barrier – it’s our safeguard. pic.twitter.com/IiP4IciBri
— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) April 28, 2025
When asked by a journalist how European values can be guaranteed if Member States want greater sovereignty, Mr. Orbán said that the Hungarian response is that it is not Brussels that guarantees European values for Member States. “It is not the case that Brussels is the guardian of democracy and tells us what democracy is. It is exactly the opposite: there are bureaucrats in Brussels,” he noted.
Democracy is not in Brussels, but in the Member States. So, in fact, it is not Brussels that guarantees democracy in Slovakia or Hungary, but we in Hungary and Slovakia guarantee the democratic nature of Brussels against the bureaucracy there,”
he emphasized.
He added that unanimity on foreign policy issues cannot be abandoned in the European Union because it would effectively eliminate the sovereignty of our states. “Imagine if there were no requirement for unanimity on foreign policy issues, meaning that individual Member States would not be able to represent their interests. We could be dragged into a war, even though neither our people nor our governments want that,” he explained.
At the joint press conference, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said that Orbán’s visit had strengthened the above-standard friendly relations between the two countries, and pointed out that these relations are excellent and problem-free and that there are no open political issues that could disrupt them. He expressed his gratitude for the energy supplies that Hungary provides to Slovakia. Remaining on the subject of energy, he mentioned that
the issue of nuclear energy had also been discussed at the meeting and welcomed the cooperation between Slovak and Hungarian companies operating in this sector.
Mr. Fico mentioned that Hungary will take over the presidency of the Visegrád Four (V4) in July this year and asked Orbán to do everything in his power to revive this important regional cooperation. He recalled that there had been deliberate attempts to destroy this initiative, as the “big players” did not want to accept cooperation in the EU that represented the interests of more than 60 million EU citizens.
Viktor Orbán (L) and Robert Fico at the joint press conference in Bratislava. Photo: MTI/Miniszterelnöki Kommunikációs Főosztály/Fischer Zoltán
The Slovak Prime Minister underlined that he appreciates the fact that, within the EU, the Hungarian government and Orbán himself are taking a sovereign stance in defense of Hungarian national interests. He emphasized that Slovakia will never agree to the EU punishing any Member State for its sovereign position or because a government is fulfilling its promises to its voters and defending the interests of its country. He said that Slovakia’s place is in the European Union, but at the same time, it is impossible to ignore the problems.
As an example, he mentioned that he cannot imagine the EU functioning without the veto institution, with decision-making in the EU then being in the hands of the large Member States.
“The EU will be strong if it can find consensus within the diversity of views that exist there. The strength of the Union will lie in respecting the sovereign views of its Member States and in returning to respect for the values of democracy and the rule of law, as this is not always the case,” Robert Fico emphasized.
“I hereby call on the key players within the European Union to listen to us and not to take any steps that would lead to the liquidation of the EU. Abolishing the right of veto would be a step towards the end of the European Union. I am 100% convinced of this,” Mr. Fico declared. He emphasized that Slovakia will never agree to any changes to the fundamental treaties that would lead to such a step. He added that the greatest danger for the EU is if its Member States are led by governments that always agree on “the one and only truth” and nod in agreement to everything.
Via MTI, Featured photo via MTI/Miniszterelnöki Kommunikációs Fõosztály/Fischer Zoltán