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At the beginning of his speech, the Prime Minister paid tribute to the recently deceased State Secretary for Nation Policy Árpád János Potápi.
In his view, last year and this year have been one of the most exciting periods of Hungarian nation policy. He highlighted that however strong the motherland was, it was unable to fundamentally change Central European realities, but was able to keep the hope alive that when things again changed for the better, the Hungarians should not stand unprepared. Meaning that the results achieved in nation policy to date are not solutions, but serve to keep the hope alive, he laid down.
He recalled that since 2010 the government had spent HUF 1,374 billion in total, some HUF 100 billion a year, on nation policy, and with this, we have increased the annual HUF 9.1 billion provided as nation policy grants during the period before 2010 ten-fold. This sum does not include economic development programmes; some 9,300 projects to the value of HUF 330 billion have been implemented in the Carpathian Basin outside the Hungarian state borders. This year, various organisations have received grants worth HUF 2.5 billion in the fields of education, culture, church affairs, sports and youth affairs, and over and above this sum, the Hungarian state provides for the operation of 96 institutions of national significance, he added.
In his view, in the past one year, we have succeeded in broadening Hungary’s scope for manoeuvre enormously, primarily on the international political scene which also means the strengthening of Hungarian communities beyond the borders. He highlighted that 2024 had been the busiest year in the history of Hungarian diplomacy. In May we had the Chinese President in Hungary, while we have most recently hosted the summit of the European Political Community, “forty-something European heads of state came here in order to thoroughly isolate us,” he said.
The Hungarian capital also hosted the informal summit of the 27 Member States of the European Union where they adopted a document called the Budapest Declaration. This is “perhaps the last attempt to save European competitiveness,” he indicated. People in the “Brussels bubbles” concern themselves with many things today, but least with the improvement of the competitiveness of the European economy. However, here in Budapest European leaders put their foot down, and set tasks for the Brussels bureaucracy in the form of the Budapest Declaration which is perhaps of historic significance, he said.
Looking back, he took the view that the hope identified during the European election campaign had also been realised, namely that the patriotic forces should be in the majority in the western world against liberal-progressive political forces. “As a first feat,” the newly established European parliamentary group of the Patriots immediately became the third largest group, he pointed out.
The Prime Minister also spoke about the result of the US presidential election, as a result of which – by his account – America has taken a patriotic turn. In 2024, with the US presidential election, the European elections and an entire year’s successful diplomatic efforts, we have succeeded in broadening the scope for manoeuvre for Hungarian foreign policy, Mr Orbán concluded. He said in Hungary there are two political schools as regards foreign policy. One of them holds that West of us there is a more competitive, more developed, more modern world which offers a happier life, and therefore, it is our duty to acquaint ourselves with it and to “make it more Hungarian” wherever necessary. However, our experience has recently been that the evident validity of this idea has been called into question, “has perhaps even been lost,” he added.
The Prime Minister highlighted that “Europe has lost its way,” and it clearly transpires from the report prepared by former President of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi at the request of the European Commission that unless we make brave and new political decisions in Europe, Europe’s disadvantage – compared with the world’s other economic and political centres which are gaining in strength – will increase exponentially.
Mr Orbán pointed out that if today the EU were a member state of the United States, it would be the third poorest member state. Additionally, taking this year alone, the European economy has grown by less than one per cent, while the United States has grown by 3 to 4 per cent and the centres in the Far East grow by 5 to 7 per cent annually, he added. The numbers clearly show that we Hungarians must focus on finding a path of our own, based on our own logic and interests, because at this point in time, Europe is unable to develop a strategy with which it could regain its competitiveness.
Mr Orbán stressed that with the Budapest competitiveness declaration, we had one last chance which dictates that within six months perceivable changes must take place. In a case to the contrary, European competitiveness will unstoppably decline and fall behind, he added. According to the Prime Minister, thanks to the sanctions introduced in the wake of the Russo-Ukrainian war, in Europe the price of gas is today four times higher, while the price of electricity is one and a half to two times higher than in the United States. With such a competitive disadvantage, Europe cannot be competitive in any sector, there is no company management method or technological innovation that could compensate for such a disadvantage as regards the most fundamental issue, the issue of energy that is necessary for the functioning of the economy, Mr Orbán stated.
According to the Prime Minister, unless in the next six months we make decisions in Europe which radically transform the economic tenets of today’s common market, we will inevitably fall behind. He said if we succeed in making such decisions, “we may receive crutches that the Hungarian economy can lean on,” however, there is an equal chance that this endeavour will fail. In that case, there is nothing to wait for because “Europe will not sweat out” an economic strategy which would direct every Member State of the EU onto a successful strategic path as per definition, Mr Orbán indicated.
The Prime Minister said it is time to try pursuing our own path, and rather than copying the West, we must become used to terms such as economic neutrality and notions such as national self-interest. This is the task in hand, and in this, Hungary is not doing badly, thanks to the decisions of recent years which guarantee not only Hungary’s survival in an environment changing in a way which is detrimental for Europe, but also its ability to produce the resources which are essential for a nation policy, he said.
Mr Orbán stressed that without a robust and successful economic policy, there was no adequately supported nation policy that was based on strong and secure financial foundations either. In which case we would be left with meetings of the Hungarian Standing Conference where speakers have no other business than explaining to one another what we cannot do and why. Therefore, we need a robust, successful and strong Hungarian economic policy, meaning a new economic policy which adjusts to the new realities, he added.
In his address, in the context of the political turnaround that has taken place in the United States, the Prime Minister laid down regarding the future of relations between the two countries that whatever the name of the new US president was, the number one man in the United States “is never our redeemer,” but even in a best-case scenario “only a fellow fighter.” He said he does not believe that the world has a leader who wakes up and goes to bed, thinking how they could help the Hungarians as “only the Hungarians can help themselves out of their troubles, and only they themselves can initiate things that are important for them. The difference is that from now on, this will not be received in Washington with animosity, but rather with positively supportive and amicable reflexes,” he said.
He took the view that there is a good chance that on the international scene where Hungary was and continues to remain compelled to fight a number of difficult battles “we will be less lonely than we had been before […]; what’s more, that in these battles we won’t even have to be in the front line anymore.” The biggest country will now be in the front line when it comes to migration, the protection of families, action against gender ideology or, for that matter, the issue of war and peace, he stated. He recalled that on these matters they had very frequently perceived on the international scene that Hungary had remained on its own; now, however, this will change significantly, this will “offer us fresh air, new opportunities, and could even allow us to use our energy more efficiently,” he stated.
He said there is a strong chance of reaching a US-Hungarian agreement which will settle not only “the affairs that have recently been messed up,” but will also allow for robust economic cooperation “in areas which can be regarded as meaningful in a technological sense.” He added that they also hoped for advantages in light of the result of the US elections which would not remain in the diplomatic heights of high politics, but would also be perceivable for Hungarian citizens in their everyday lives.
He pointed out that “this will also make members of the Hungarian public understand” that while this results in difficulties on the international battlefield, “we must nonetheless stand up for our national interests even if the wind is against us or we must endure pain,” he said. In his view, we must understand that “difficulties are not exceptional phenomena in Hungarian foreign policy, but built-in and constant concomitants” and “the injuries, bruises and pains sustained in the international battles are not unnatural, but natural things,” he highlighted. He said they take on these fights in order for these efforts to yield the expected results for Hungary from time to time. Now, “we’re at the end of such a long, four-year-long struggle,” he said, pointing out that “it was worth persistently standing with” the American Republicans and “the values and goals which Hungarian foreign policy stood for, from our national self-interests through the protection of traditional values to countering migration or standing for peace, for that matter, including all the consequences.” Using a sports simile, he took the view that “the greater the pain the greater the success,” meaning that “the more energy you invest in fighting against those who are mightier than you, […] the greater your reward will be if you succeed.” And at that point, it is worth stopping and “taking a look at foreign policy as something in which our interest is not merely to survive and to avoid the deterioration of positions, but where a considerable improvement of our position, too, can be a realistic goal,” he said.
Mr Orbán spoke about the fact that on Friday the Romanian Prime Minister will pay a visit to Hungary, and he expressed hope that bilateral relations would become more favourable than they had been. Regarding Slovakia, he highlighted that the Hungarians of Felvidék (South Slovakia) are the most ardent defenders of Slovak state sovereignty. Slovakia, similar to Hungary, wishes to pursue a sovereigntist policy in Brussels, they are making an attempt to pursue a foreign policy based on national interests. In this we are good fellow fighters for each other, he added. He thanked the Hungarians of Slovakia for having understood and enforced this connection recently.
As for relations with Slovenia, he said “we are waiting for better times.” There is a balanced relationship with the Slovenian government, and this is a fine result, he stated, recalling at the same time that previously relations were not just balanced, but fantastic. Compared with past states of affairs, the present situation is restrained, he said, pointing out that seeing internal political movements in Slovenia, he sincerely hopes that it will be possible to increase the intensity and quality of cooperation to the level where it was during the previous government.
In continuation, he said that he saw conflicts in Croatian-Hungarian relations. He also mentioned the 700,000 to 800,000 Hungarian tourists who spend their summer holidays on the Croatian coast. This benefits the Croatian economy, and helps us through some disputes, he stated.
He described Austria as a strange country. He recalled that they had been compelled to repeat the election of the president of the republic because the election committee had concluded that during voting, envelopes had not sealed properly. Had something like this happened in Hungary, “all NATO troops would have marched in, crying ‘dictatorship.’” He added that there was a party that had won the elections, but they had “forgotten” to ask it to form a government. He pointed out that relations with the incumbent Austrian Chancellor, too, were very good, and Austrian-Hungarian relations had remained balanced, regardless of the fact that not the closest of allies were in government in the two countries.
Regarding Serbia, he said they will “navigate unchartered waters” during the period ahead. He recalled that they had recently held a pan-governmental meeting where they had agreed to also cooperate on military issues in the future. If we managed to pull this off, that would be unprecedented, he said.
In the context of Ukraine, he said the framework conditions regarding EU membership clearly lay down the specific measures Ukraine is required to implement in the area of the protection of minorities. Until these are put in place, there is no new chapter, there are no talks and there is no further progress, he warned. He stressed that a Ukraine which sought to establish closer ties with Europe could be expected to guarantee the rights for Hungarians which they had previously enjoyed. He added that they insisted on this and were determined to enforce it.
He also said that today the war is the number one issue of European politics, adding that he has no good news to deliver; we are facing a dangerous period like never before. He drew attention to the fact the elected US president would only be able to make decisions after 20 January. Mr Orbán said there is a debate regarding what these two months should be used for. Accepting the decision of the American people, and yet, acting contrary to the result of the presidential election would not be right. There is another solution, namely that the situation is construed in a legal sense, and that they must give Ukraine everything it may need now. This is the reason why decisions have been adopted which allow the Ukrainians to use American weapons – long-range missiles – for attacks in non-disputed territories.
The Prime Minister drew attention to a new level of involvement in the war, adding that this is why everyone dreads the retaliatory strikes the Russians may opt for. Mr Orbán highlighted that in the uncertain situation caused by the Russo-Ukrainian war, Hungary was in relative security, partly due to NATO and partly because the warring parties did not regard us as a military opponent. The Prime Minister took the view that there was a good chance that Transcarpathia might come out of the war with minimal losses. At the same time, the Prime Minister pointed out that there was uncertainty in the whole of Europe; no one knows the exact nature of the two months ahead. No one can be sure of the military operations of the next 24 hours, and neither can we be sure of the response and of which European countries it may affect, he pointed out.
Mr Orbán summed up the government’s nation policy by saying that after World War I, our opponents decided that Hungary should be small and poor. In 2010, we decided that Hungary should be great and rich. This is the goal of Hungary’s nation policy, too, this is what we are working for, he stressed.
In his welcome speech delivered at the plenary session of the Hungarian Standing Conference, Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt highlighted that those who wanted to remain Hungarian would receive all possible help with this. In addition to the preservation of a Hungarian identity, he also mentioned the previously unprecedented economic development programmes and naturalisation. He pointed out that it was our mission to fight for every single Hungarian.
At the meeting of the Hungarian Standing Conference, attendees paid tribute to the recently deceased State Secretary for Nation Policy Árpád János Potápi whose activities as state secretary for ten years were summarised in a short documentary.
