Christian Democrats are currently not properly represented in European politics “so we are making efforts to have their voices heard”, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said after talks with Matteo Salvini, the head of Italy’s right-wing ruling party Lega, and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki in Budapest on Thursday.
Orbán, who is also the head of ruling Fidesz, said that they had discussed the most important issues for their respective countries and concluded that there were no topics where a consensus could not be reached or where the interests of their nations conflicted.
Orbán said they had agreed to get involved in the debates about the future of Europe and prepare a programme to this effect in the next few weeks. “The debate will be a good opportunity to promote and strengthen our values in Europe,” he said.
Orbán said he had met Salvini and Morawiecki now because Fidesz decided to quit the European People’s Party (EPP) and they were planning a common future together, discussing the future of Europe.
Orbán cited Salvini as saying that they wanted a European renaissance and were working together for it to start.
He said there were many million European citizens left without proper and effective representation because the EPP had dedicated itself to cooperation with the European left in the long term.
Orbán said it was symbolic that their cooperation would be launched on Holy Thursday, with a meeting that represents the first stop of a long journey.
Much has been discussed about common values, such as the values of freedom, dignity, Christianity, family and national sovereignty, in addition to Euro-Atlantic commitment, Orbán said. He added that they all say no to a European empire run by Brussels, communism, illegal migration and anti-Semitism.
Orbán said they would next meet probably in Warsaw in May, depending on the pandemic situation.
He also said that they would not be taken in by provocation of any kind, having clear values and positions.
Orbán said they wanted to put an end to the “ridiculous political approach” which qualifies the right wing always as extremist and the left wing always as centrist.
He said they supported freedom, traditional European values, human dignity and more successful European policies.
Orbán described Morawiecki as Hungary’s most faithful friend and Salvini as a hero, for proving as a member of the Italian government that illegal migration could be stopped on sea.
He also said that the pandemic was currently the number one topic in all international meetings and he had also shared his experiences with his negotiating partners, all of them urging the European Commission to speed up vaccine procurements, which is a precondition for stopping the pandemic. Orbán said they wanted a more transparent and faster vaccination drive in Europe.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Matteo Salvini, the head of Italy’s right-wing ruling party Lega, argued in favour of Europe’s renewal and a renaissance of traditional European values after talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
In a press statement, Morawiecki said they have trust in the future of Europe and the European Union and hold the firm conviction that they together would be able to build a road for Europe.
European integration can further develop but “for it to bear healthy fruits, its roots should not be neglected either,” the Polish premier said, stressing the need to return to Europe’s Christian roots.
Morawiecki said common targets included Euro-Atlantic cooperation and deepening European integration while respecting national sovereignty, individual freedoms and protecting traditional European values and Christianity.
He added that they believed Europe was “completely disintegrated” and damaged by various forces.
The Brussels elite views Europe as a project for elite groups, he said, adding that “we would like to represent a wide range of people”.
Salvini said they were working to help European nations get out of their darkest post-WWII period into a new era in which freedom, rights and family would once again get into the focus.
Salvini said that the EU had made a grave mistake when it rejected its Judeo-Christian roots in the basic treaty.
He added that they did not want European nations to stand against each other but to establish a common European force which can protect the continent’s borders.
Salvini said he believed European politics would not be the same after the coronavirus pandemic.
Salvini said “left-wing cultural groups” should not be allowed to single-handedly determine the future because culture, the family and health are nobody’s monopoly.
Featured photo by Szilárd Koszticsák/MTI
