Evaluating proceedings at the EU summit, the Prime Minister said it was feisty, bumpy, “the car was shaking a bit.” He added: they were not happy that due to the Ukrainian oil blockade, we have changed a decision adopted in December, but as the legal situation is perfectly clear, we have every right to do that as the decision-making process has not been completed yet. Therefore, the only thing they could do was level some threats, but then they realised that this was not going to work.
“They didn’t have a single argument that we couldn’t trump with a more compelling one,” Mr Orbán said. He observed: they did not say nice things, but they could not say a single thing that they could have held against Hungary, whether morally, legally or politically. “We repelled each and every argument, equally moral, political and legal, and defended ours,” he highlighted.
The Prime Minister stressed that had the Ukrainians imposed an oil blockade on Hungary in December, “we would have never consented to this loan of 90 billion.” However, as they waited for this positive decision and then imposed an oil blockade on us, “they can’t seriously ask me to pretend that nothing has happened.”
Regarding the inspection of the state of the oil pipeline, Mr Orbán said “we would like to go there to see what the situation is. For the time being, the situation is – and I think this is evidence to the effect that the Ukrainians are lying – that they are not letting us anywhere near. This is inconceivable. The Slovaks and we would like to go there. Not on our own, together with them. Let’s see why it can’t be done.”
The idea that the EU would send a committee there without the representatives of the Slovak and Hungarian governments is a bad joke, he added.
Regarding the scenario that if Ukraine restarts the operation of the Druzhba crude oil pipeline, then Hungary stops blocking the loan, the Prime Minister said it is not just that the flow of oil must resume, “we must also receive guarantees that this won’t happen again.” “We don’t yet have the means for that, but we will,” he said.
“As soon as the oil starts coming and we receive guarantees that this won’t happen again, the money can go straight away,” he said.
He stated: Europe cannot live without Russian energy sources. A global oil shortage “is knocking at our door,” and so the behaviour and strategy adopted by the Europeans on this issue is quite simply madness. We need Russian oil under any circumstances, without it we cannot survive this situation which will only get worse, he pointed out, adding that they heard the reports of the presidents of the European Central Bank and the Eurogroup on the situation which is “grave beyond belief.”
In two days, the global energy situation has deteriorated to an extent that was previously inconceivable. He highlighted: today, the situation is that the European Union is not engaged in talks with the Americans, not engaged in talks with the Russians, and is likewise not engaged in talks with the Chinese. Unless we free ourselves from this isolation that the EU’s flawed policy has dragged Europe into, we will find ourselves in grave trouble.
Mr Orbán stressed that such an energy crisis could not be managed without cooperating with the others, “meaning that what they’ve done here is pushing us into ruination.”
Regarding the issue of migration, the Prime Minister said there are Member States which are following the Hungarian model under which they do not only want to keep illegal migrants away, but do not want to let anyone in. He said that as there are 4 million Afghan refugees in Iran, plus there is a conflict in Iran from which the locals themselves are suffering, we must prepare for mass migration.
He said they spoke about this openly in the morning, and it was also revealed that there are Member States which are following the Hungarian model. “So, they said that the recently adopted migration pact is worthless because it’s not that illegal migrants must be kept away, but they don’t want to let anyone in. Including legal ones. That’s the Hungarian model,” Mr Orbán stated.
Slowly, but surely, the Hungarian position will receive not only theoretical endorsement, but it will have to be adopted by everyone, he stressed. “I sincerely hope that this won’t happen, as in that an enormous migration flow sets out from the South, but here this is regarded as a possible scenario,” the Prime Minister added.
Regarding the fine imposed on Hungary in connection with Hungarian anti-migration measures, the Prime Minister said Hungary must pay a million euros a day, this is how much is being retained. “It’s being retained from our money. So, I say this every time, that this will have to be given back. Meaning that they shouldn’t spend it because they’ll have to give it back,” he laid down.
In answer to a question, Mr Orbán said the Hungarian opposition is financed from Brussels. “They’re working hard in Brussels in order for the patriotic government to lose the elections and so that they install a new pro-Ukraine government that will give the Ukrainians money and military equipment.”
In response to the question of whom he means exactly, Mr Orbán said there are Brussels institutions behind the realisation of this “desire.”
