Mr Orbán arrived at the polling station at half past eight in the morning, and after casting his vote, he answered questions from members of the press.
He stressed that he was happy about the high turnout; in his words, earlier, this had always favoured them. “The more we are, the better,” he said.
Mr Orbán encouraged everyone to vote. An election is a celebration of democracy, he stated. In answer to a question relating to the outcome of the elections, the Prime Minister highlighted that the people’s decision must be respected. “There is a Hungarian Constitution, we must proceed according to it,” he said.
Regarding the work they have completed in the past four years, he said they have taken steps towards all their important goals. “We could have made two to three times more progress if the world around us were more amicable,” he established. He also laid down that this was not going to be his last election. “I’m still a young man,” he added.
In answer to the question of how the election results will affect Hungarian-Serbian relations, Mr Orbán stressed: one of the most important goals of the past decade has been to build fraternal relations. “We would like relations with Serbia to be as strong as possible.” He further pointed out that Hungary was striving for amicable relations with the leaders of every major state, “and luckily, we have many friends in the world.”
In response to the suggestion that the present elections are as crucial as the ones in 1990, Mr Orbán said they are similarly significant, but for different reasons. “Now, there is democracy, the question is how the democratic government should work,” he explained.
He also said in Europe “a major crisis is facing us which is a combination of multiple crises.” In his words, it is not easy to find the right answers to these challenges for a single nation. “I believe that we need national unity in order to withstand the energy, financial and economic crises,” he underlined.
Regarding the campaign, the Prime Minister said he likes campaigns, he has had the opportunity to shake hands with many people in recent weeks whom he would not have had the chance to meet otherwise. “I’m very happy, and I’d like to thank every member of the Hungarian electorate for receiving me, for talking to me, for listening to me, for giving me a chance to present my arguments,” he said.
In connection with his political opponents, Mr Orbán laid down “we never underestimate anyone.”
In answer to a question concerning relations with the EU, the Prime Minister argued: Hungary is a member of the European Union, and so it has rights. “We are opposed to the formation of any empire, we will not allow nations to be deprived of their rights and sovereignty, we will not allow any departure from the Treaties,” he added, indicating that Hungary wants Brussels to respect this.
Mr Orbán also said if they win the elections, tomorrow his first step will be to thank activists for the fantastic work they have completed in recent months. “We have mobilised the whole country,” the Prime Minister pointed out. In answer to a question relating to the fairness of the elections, he pointed out that the Hungarian electoral system was the safest in the whole of Europe.
