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Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his family are on holiday in the Indian state of Kerala. The trip has attracted the attention of several websites, and many speculations were made about the health of the Prime Minister. To dispel the gossip, Viktor Orbán answered a few questions about his trip to Hungarian tabloid Blikk.
A man from India called Saleem Ibn Majeed posted a picture on his Facebook page where Viktor Orbán can be seen with four men, reportedly tuk-tuk drivers. (A tuk-tuk, also known as an autorickshaw, is a three-wheeled vehicle, modelled after the old-fashioned rickshaw.) In his post, the man wrote that the four drivers had been showing foreign tourists the sights in the region for many years, explaining the history to them as well. The Fragrant Nature Hotel, where Orbán and his family stayed, recommended the drivers to the Prime Minister to visit Fort Kochi, a region of Kochi city in Kerala, where explorer Vasco da Gama was once buried. According to Saleem Ibn Majeed, it was a great honor for his friends to drive Orbán around.
“My wife and two daughters and I are in southern India,” said the Prime Minister to Blikk. “We chose this country for two reasons: the past and the future. In Kochi, where I am now, Vasco da Gama died, whom I liked from the novels of my youth. I ‘followed’ in his footsteps. My favorite explorer, as important as Columbus. So much for the past. The other reason we are here is the future. India’s economy is poised for explosive growth,” highlighted the Prime Minister, who also spoke about why he was leaving at this time of the year.
“Hungary’s EU Presidency ended on January 1. I took my leave the next day and we were ready to go.
The EU presidency was a big one, even for me, a veteran of the EU, it was a long ride.
We are not getting much rest here in India either, but it is nice to get out of the rut at home. When it comes to foreign policy, it is a calm period until Trump takes office, then it is all business.”
The Padmanabhaswamy Temple, a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu in Thiruvananthapuram, in the capital of the state of Kerala. Photo: Pixabay
Orbán also responded to speculation about his trip. “I read all kinds of nonsense being spouted. That is the way it is. But nothing else has happened, the Prime Minister has just taken his holiday. I am healthy as a horse. Do not get your hopes up,” he said, and added that he would be back on Kossuth Radio on January 17 for his usual morning interview. Finally, the Prime Minister stressed: “India is not known for being a tourist paradise. If you want luxury, go to an Austrian ski resort or the Bahamas. If you are interested in culture, come to India.”
Featured photo via Facebook/Saleem Ibn Majeed