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The government’s foreign policy will remain Hungarian and sovereign, and Hungary will not give in to any international pressure, with the only point of alignment being the national interest, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Monday in Budapest at the opening of this year’s annual ambassadors’ meeting.
The minister highlighted that Europe is facing the most serious economic and security challenges ever, and the government’s primary duty is to guarantee Hungary’s security and development.
To do this, we must take steps in the coming period that will most certainly run counter to the expectations of the international liberal mainstream (…) Therefore, in the coming period, our colleagues will have to prepare to do their work in the face of great international pressure. We are lucky that we are used to this,”
he pointed out.
He said it was encouraging that while parties opposing the international liberal mainstream are subject to heavy pressure, smear campaigns, and external interference around the world, the only exception was last year’s Hungarian election, when these efforts failed.
However, in the end, the Fidesz-KDNP governing parties won with a landslide victory, securing a two-thirds majority in the Parliament once again.
Péter Szijjártó underlined that the pressure on Hungary will be particularly strong on two issues. One is the war in Ukraine, which, although the government condemns it and supports the country’s territorial integrity and the principle of sovereignty, is not Hungary’s war. “We have no responsibility in it, so no one can demand that we pay the price. Therefore, we remain unwilling to participate in this war,” he emphasized.
He also referred to the disenfranchisement of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia (formerly part of Hungary, now in Ukraine) and the severe restrictions on mother tongue education from this academic year, pointing out that from now on, national schools must operate as Ukrainian schools. “We have always said it, we have always predicted it, we have always talked about it everywhere, and our allies, our friends, our fellow EU members have all refused to take note of it,” he said.
The foreign minister warned that
EU accession requires respect for common values and legislation, of which the protection of national minorities is an important part.
“Until Ukraine gives back the rights of the Hungarian community, we cannot support the opening of accession negotiations with the European Union. There will be huge pressure on everyone, everywhere, but the fact is that we have to hold out,” he stressed.
Szijjártó continued by pointing out that the work of the past eight to nine years has made Hungary a meeting point for Western and Eastern investment, a guarantee of economic growth in the new world economic era.
We will also be under a lot of pressure here, and that is because we are not the only ones who want these investments for ourselves.”
“Because they (some big Western European countries) also want these investments, they will say all sorts of things about us. They will tell us that we have to stop economic cooperation with China, of course so that they can take our place and attract the investments that are providing jobs for thousands and tens of thousands of people,” he emphasized.
“But we are not stupid either, we did not just come off the wall (…) The fact is that we have to continue to compete for these investments,” he concluded.
Via MTI, Featured photo via Facebook/Péter Szijjártó