Photo: MTI
The prime minister added, at the same time, that his visit to North Macedonia was also important because the country is located on the most frequented migration route. He noted the immense help Macedonians had provided to Hungary at the peak of the 2015-2016 migration crisis. “Without them, we might not have been able to stop this migration invasion,” he said, noting that Hungary had sent border patrol officers to Macedonia’s southern border.
Orbán pointed to the significance of North Macedonia’s geographical location, saying if Hungary wanted to forward its goods to the seaport, one of the most important routes to the Greek ports ran through North Macedonia.
Economic neutrality first
Meanwhile, Orbán said that in order to establish economic neutrality, Hungary first had to be aware of its own interests. He said Europe was on a “suicide path” with its initiative to form blocs in response to Asia’s rise and its own economic difficulties. He said he was trying to convince his European counterparts that the bloc “shouldn’t start down this path”. “But they’re under a lot of pressure and economic neutrality isn’t that dear to everyone’s heart yet,” he added.
At the heart of economic neutrality, Orbán said, was not allowing others to “force” their intentions onto Hungary “to view the economy through a political lens”, because Hungary must see the trends exclusively in the context of the country’s own interests.
“That means that we will take from the West and take from the East only that which is useful and sensible. Whatever isn’t good, whatever isn’t useful for Hungarians, we won’t take,” he added.
Emergence of blocks unfavourable for economy
Orbán said the emergence of blocs always slowed down economic growth, and nation states and communities benefitted most from “the freest possible trade and economic cooperation”. Economic growth, he said, was lost with the introduction of sanctions and restrictions.
He said that regardless of any blocs that were forming in the global economy, Hungary had to remain a frontrunner in technological development, whether that be in car manufacturing, green energy or the most advanced products related to digitalisation.
The prime minister noted the planned introduction of preferential credit for Hungarians who enter vocational training, home purchase subsidies and schemes aimed at improving the situation of small and medium-sized businesses. He also said the tax-credit available to those raising children must be doubled in 2025.
Orbán said Hungary’s economic growth rate was between 1 percent and 2 percent at present, still putting the country in the forefront in Europe. He added that the goal was to boost Hungary’s growth to between 3-6 percent, in spite of the unfavourable circumstances, with the help of a policy of economic neutrality.
The prime minister said there was a good chance that a new Europe Union Competitiveness Deal could be signed around the end of Hungary’s presidency of the Council of the EU, in November.
Migration: you should speak the truth
Concerning the debate on migration, Orbán said the old Hungarian adage that “you speak the truth and your head gets chopped off” was especially valid in this regard.
In connection with the Italian deputy prime minister’s recent visit to Budapest, Orbán said that Matteo Salvini found himself in an even worse situation. “Because while I am getting hit, smashed, dragged and criticised, a six-year prison sentence is being sought for him for not letting vessels carrying illegal migrants dock in Italy’s ports when he was interior minister”.
Salvini and Orbán. Source: FB/Orbán
“We stand behind Salvini with our full support, he is our hero,” Orbán said, underscoring the need for politicians like Salvini in Europe “who want to stop illegal migration even at the cost of personal risk”.
He added, however, that despite criticisms directed at Hungary and the legal proceedings launched against Salvini, “an increasing number of countries say that ‘those guys were right’”.
“While they criticise us with one hand, with the other they make their own policy similar to ours,” the prime minister said, making reference to Germany “adopting” the policy measure of strict border control.
Keeping fingers crossed for Trump’s victory
As regards the upcoming US presidential election, Orbán said it could decide whether the world took steps towards a war or “stops, turns back and declares a ceasefire and peace as regards not only the Ukraine-Russia war but other conflicts as well”. He called Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump “a president of peace” who, he said, had not launched any wars but took steps for a peaceful settlement of old conflicts.
Photo: FB/Orbán
“It is therefore not by coincidence that the peace-loving, peace-seeking part of the world is keeping its fingers crossed for Trump’s victory,” Orbán said.
“And there are those on the opposite side, who support war and want to see the Democrats win, because they want to continue the war,” Orbán said. He added that in Hungary the pro-war stance was “typically represented by politicians on the left,” while those on the right were pro-peace politicians.
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Publish date : 2024-09-27 05:06:00
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