Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has hinted for the first time that his country may leave the EU, according to DPA. “Under the slogan of the rule of law, the European Union is waging a holy war, jihad,” the right-wing nationalist prime minister said in a speech to supporters in the Hungarian capital.
At the same time, he urged the EU to be tolerant of Hungary. Otherwise, according to Orban, they will not be able to continue on their common path.
The Hungarian prime minister made the announcement days before the date the European Court of Justice is expected to announce its ruling on the EU’s new rule of law mechanism. Hungary and Poland are suing a new mechanism adopted in December 2020 that could cut off countries that violate the rule of law from the European budget.
Budapest wants to keep the EU united “despite the growing cultural alienation,” Orban added. He said that was why his country repeatedly made “offers of tolerance” to Brussels and Berlin. “There is no other solution than tolerance. This is the only way to find a common path,” the BTA quotes the Hungarian Prime Minister as saying.
Orban stressed in his annual speech before the April parliamentary elections that a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine could lead to hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees trying to enter Hungary. He added that preventing war was in Hungary’s interest and called for a solution to the crisis through dialogue.
The Prime Minister stressed that he opposed the EU’s plans to apply sanctions against Russia.
“There can be no question of sanctions, criminal policy, edification or any other kind of arrogance on the part of the great powers,” Orban said.
He added that Ukraine is a vital buffer zone between Russia and Hungary. He said that “the military power of Europe should be at least comparable to that of Russia”, so Budapest supports the development of European military potential and the creation of a pan-European defense force.
Orban also expanded the cap on fuel prices and promised more generous support for families if he is re-elected in the April 3 elections.