Despite the opposition’s “disrespectful” attacks against Olivér Várhelyi, he could be “one of the most qualified commissioners” in the new European Commission, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office said on Thursday.

At his regular press briefing, Gergely Gulyás noted that Várhelyi has been approved as the commissioner for enlargement and neighbourhood policy, adding that this would be “the most important” portfolio assigned to Hungary since the country joined the bloc in 2004.

Hungary expects the new EC to fix its “botched migration policy” and seek consensus rather than conflict on this issue, Gulyás said. The new commission should also pursue a new direction in economic policy, strive for good and fair relations with world powers and bolster the protection of the European way of life, the PM’s chief of staff added.

“Best Candidate” or “Orbán Puppet”? Reactions to Várhelyi’s Approval by EP Committee

He said that because Hungary’s original commissioner candidate, former justice minister László Trócsányi, had been subjected to “unfair and baseless” accusations, the government had chosen “an experienced EU ambassador” as its second nominee. He insisted that Hungarian government nominees had been undermined by “pro-migration groups backed by [US financier] George Soros”.

Though Soros and his darlings did everything they could to prevent the government’s nominee from becoming a member of the commission, their attempts ultimately failed.’

On another subject, he said that although the government had managed to compromise with the EC on a number of issues and occasions, it would not budge on the issue of migration. “The protection of the external border is not up for debate,” Gulyás insisted.

Meanwhile, the PM’s office chief said Fidesz will back the new EC when the European Parliament votes on Ursula von der Leyen’s team next week.

In the featured photo: PMO Head Gergely Gulyás. Photo by Lajos Soós/MTI