Péter Magyar, the winner of the Hungarian parliamentary elections, on Monday presented his vision for foreign policy, emphasizing Hungary’s commitment to the European Union and NATO and accusing the previous government of destroying documents. In his address to the public, he stressed that the EU is a peace project, despite the “lies of the insidious government,” and vowed to represent Hungary’s interests in Brussels firmly but sincerely and through compromise.
Magyar stressed the Hungarian people’s deep European commitment. “The Hungarian people have made a clear decision. We are proud to belong to the strongest alliances, the European Union and NATO. We are proud that our ancestors fought for a thousand years to belong to Europe and that we have defended its borders. Every Hungarian is proud of their European identity,“ he said. ”People have seen the lies of the treacherous government that slanders and accuses the European Union of wanting war. Everyone knows that the European Union is actually a peace project.”
He presented to journalists the way he intends to work within the institutions of the European Union, basing his approach on his experience as a diplomat. “The European Union has its shortcomings; it is a vast organization of 27 member states with a multitude of national, party, and lobbying interests. As a diplomat for the Hungarian government, I worked in Brussels for eight or nine years. I was fortunate to get to know and understand how the European Union works, all the difficulties, but also the joys of seeking and achieving compromises there,” Magyar said. “A compromise can be found. Personally, I, as a Magyar, am prepared to contribute to compromises.
We will have discussions, but that’s not a problem; every member state is there to represent its national interests. We are not going there to fight, and then tell the Hungarian people on billboards that Brussels is evil. I take responsibility for always representing the interests of the Hungarian people. I will do so very firmly, but also very sincerely.”
Important Documents are Being Destroyed – What Will Happen to Cooperation with Russia?
Magyar also leveled serious accusations against Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, claiming that important documents are being destroyed at the ministry.
“Many thought that Péter Szijjártó had disappeared because he was not seen during Viktor Orbán’s speech. I assure everyone, he is here. Today at 10 a.m., he appeared at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was previously attacked by Russian hackers. He is currently destroying documents related to the sanctions against Russia, accompanied by Eszter Gyarmati and his closest associates. This is what is happening in Hungary right now,” he said.
Magyar was asked about his contact with the US, in light of the American administration’s clear support for his rival, Viktor Orbán.
He says the US is a very important partner with which Hungary needs to have good relations. Magyar said he will not call Trump, but his administration will be available for a conversation if the White House calls.
He reiterated his previous suggestions that the upcoming 70th anniversary of the 1956 Budapest Uprising could be a good opportunity to host global leaders in the city.
Regarding Russia, Magyar says he wants to have “pragmatic” relations with Moscow because Hungary continues to be ‘exposed’ to Russia in terms of energy imports. He says he will review “all agreements” for Russian energy and will negotiate and terminate them “if necessary.”
Regarding his relationship with Putin, he says he would tell him to stop the war in Ukraine, but he wouldn’t really expect him to take that advice. But he hopes Putin will be forced to end the war soon and says it is clear that Ukraine is the victim here as Russian aggression continues.
Magyar reiterates his call for President Tamás Sulyok to resign, calling him a “puppet” of Viktor Orbán. “He was appointed to sign everything; every document that is presented to him – whether it’s the menu, the constitution, or the laws – so we don’t need people like that. For me, he is not a president,” he says.
Restore the Rule of Law, Plural Democracy…
He vowed to change the constitution in an attempt to restore democratic standards, following a landslide victory that he said shows Hungary wants to fully anchor itself in Europe after years of battling Brussels.
At the press conference, Magyar said his government will have many urgent tasks, including amending the constitution to limit the number of terms someone can serve as prime minister to two.
“We will do everything to restore the rule of law, plural democracy, and the system of checks and balances,” he said.
Magyar said the constitutional amendment would apply to Orbán, meaning he cannot become prime minister again.
“He had an excellent opportunity to do great things in the national interest to ensure that Hungary would become a developing European country… He did not seize this chance, but abused it,” he said.
Magyar said the election result showed that Hungary had decided to “change the regime” and choose a pro-European path.
“The Hungarian people yesterday, exactly 23 years after the referendum on our EU membership, confirmed Hungary’s place in Europe,” he said.
As another sign of how eager Magyar and his Tisza party are to continue dismantling Orbán’s regime, he just pledged to “stop state-funded propaganda,” as he describes the country’s state media, which were captured by parties before new safeguards were put in place to ensure impartial reporting.
He mocks journalists from state media, saying that “they need to update their biographies” and that “they were unable to keep up with me” during the campaign.
He said that “one of the first measures will be to stop the news on public television and radio,” and the new administration will try to form “a board to ensure the independence of state media,” drawing from the experiences of the BBC “or in some other way.”
