Photo: FB/Orbán
Hungary should remain neutral
On another subject, Orbán argued for economic neutrality and said that Hungary had to go its own path.
Around the fall of communism, when it became clear that the Soviet economic model was not competitive, Hungary switched to capitalism and took over elements and institutions of the market economy that had made Western countries successful, Orbán said.
Orbán said now it was the western world that was in trouble, and Hungary could not take over Eastern economic methods “because they are impossible to imitate for cultural reasons”. He warned, however, that “if Hungary continues along with the West … in the end we will fall into the abyss and die together with the Western economy.” So Hungary’s only solution, he said, was to shape an economic model to fit its own culture, from the examples seen worldwide. “We must take over everything that’s good for us from the West as well as from the East, but nothing that’s not good for us. To keep it simple, we call that approach and policy economic neutrality,” Orbán said.
Orbán radio interview in the Kossuth Rádió. Photo: MTI
Orbán insisted that “a cold-war philosophy which has taken over the West” since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine had “presented itself in the economy, too.” “Reviving the Cold War is a bad idea,” he said.
Staying away from Ukraine-Russia war
Hungary has the right to pursue an economic policy of its own, Orbán said, adding that “it is just a matter of ability, courage and skill to enforce that right.” If Hungary managed to stay out of the Russia-Ukraine war, it would “stay away from an ill-advised economic policy built on war logic,” he said. He added that the Hungarian government “needs to do well at talks in the closed back rooms of politics … but Hungarians have never performed poorly there, and there is no need for us to feel inferior.” “We usually do well in difficult power talks, and we have stayed away from the war and received written guarantees that we won’t have to participate in the war during the term of the new NATO secretary-generay,” Orbán said. The Hungarian government has negotiated the continued possibility of purchasing gas and oil from Russia, while “the whole of the European Union distances itself from Russian energy”, he added. “We have always found room for manoeuvre … there is no point in holding the low-spirited belief that the great countries would suppress us anyway,” the prime minister said.
“One would have thought that there is no room to manoeuvre in the Russia-Ukraine war, because if the whole European Union sings the same tune, one country could not stay out; still we did,” Orbán said, adding that “they are up to their eyes in a losing war, and Hungary isn’t, because we’ve never joined”.
“If God helps us, those standing for peace replace those rooting for war in America, and President [Donald] Trump returns, we will be relieved because we are no longer alone,” Orbán said.
“Mr Prime Minister, go away”
According to Orbán, a decision orchestrated by the European People’s Party had been made in Brussels. “They said it is over Mr Prime Minister, go away, you and your government, here we have a new prime minister to be and a would-be ruling party; we in Brussels support them,” he said.
Orbán insisted that this had been expected “as the same thing happened in Poland, and then came Prime Minister Donald Tusk.”
“Brussels wants a jawohl-government,” Orbán said.
Hungarians, however, are expected to resist that pressure, “we don’t want a puppet government”.
“This is not just a question of power; Brussels has economy policy disputes with Hungary, and it would seriously impact the people if we gave in … the question is not who the prime minister is but what ramifications the people will suffer,” he added.
The EU wanted higher PIT, and that Hungary scrap taxes on multinational companies and the utility price caps which are largely born by the same companies, he said. The EU had also called for a pension reform “that would amount to scrapping the 13th month pension”, they would reform farm subsidies and strip or reduce funding for 160-170,000 Hungarian farmers, Orbán said.
Those “in cahoots with Brussels” will be implementing those programmes, he said.
At the same time, economic policy will be determined largely by whether the war in Ukraine expands further, he said. “If Donald Trump returns and wins, the chances of that happening will be zero.”
Spending more on military
Otherwise, the war and the constant danger of escalation will warrant an economic policy allocating a larger part of GDP to military expenditures, he said.
He said it was in Hungary’s “fundamental interest” for a government to be in power in the United States that would say the war in Ukraine must spread no further. “If that happens…we’ve put together a package that can bring the Hungarian economy out of the difficult period it has been in since 2020,” he added.
He noted that the economy had been on the upward path until 2019, when it was hit by the pandemic, then the war, the impact of sanctions policies and inflation. “We need to find a way out of that difficult 4-5 year period, and I think we have found it,” he added.
The government’s new economic action plan could produce “fantastic results” in 2025, if Hungary follows through with its policy of economic neutrality, Orbán said.
Orbán said the package of 20-25 measures could lift Hungary’s economic growth rate over the rates of all of the rest of the countries in Europe.
Orbán said talks between employers and unions on wage increases were “progressing well”. He said the average wage could reach HUF 1 million/month “in the foreseeable future”, while the minimum wage could be raised to HUF 400,000/month in the coming years in the framework of a multi-year wage agreement.
New National Consultation
Regarding the National Consultation survey, Orbán said it was aiming “to strengthen foundations”, as “the only point of reference in the fight with Brussels is the will of the Hungarian people.”
“If Hungarians call for economic neutrality and an independent Hungarian economic policy … used to raise wages and tackle housing issues, then that can be protected,” he said.
Orbán proud on the new national consultation:
The National Consultation strengthens Hungary and the government, “that is how we created 1 million new jobs, and migration wasn’t stopped by the government alone — Hungarians have communicated their expectations first,” Orbán said.
Meanwhile, “Brussels bureaucrats and a few larger states” said the migration pact was a good thing, and voted to speed up implementation. Hungary’s opposition, with the exception of the Our Homeland (Mi Hazank) party, has also voted in favour, and supported penalising Hungary and withholding border protection funding, Orbán said. “Fidesz-KDNP politicians fought well but we weren’t enough in the European Parliament, maybe we will be more successful in the European Council.”
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Publish date : 2024-10-25 04:20:00
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