Hungary satisfied with the Rome declaration

Two days after PM Orbán signed the joint declaration of EU heads of state and government on the 60th anniversary of the founding Rome Treaty, commentators emphasise the controversies between Hungary and the bulk of the Union.

Viktor Orbán told Magyar Rádió, the national public radio station, that the anniversary declaration signed at the anniversary summit in Rome reflected his views and included all crucial points proposed by Hungary. He said other points were similarly important for other participants, but “since we live under the same roof, we have to accept that”. He added that member countries have to do their homework on security and economic stability themselves for Europe to be stronger.

In Népszava, Miklós Bonta accuses the Prime Minister of duplicity. While he signed a declaration, alongside all the European Prime Ministers and Presidents, “on a co-ordinated future as well as mutual solidarity”, his Foreign Minister said a strong Europe depended on strong member countries. Bonta interprets this latter statement as contradicting the idea of European Unity. Addressing American investors in Budapest, Mr Szíjjártó complained about Brexit, referring to Great Britain as the main bulwark of the camp of EU member countries which believed that it takes strong member countries to make a strong Union. Bonta calls this view “sovereignism” and believes that Mr Orbán’s Hungary is the only remaining “sovereignist” country within the European Union.

In Magyar Hírlap, Sándor Faggyas, on the other hand detects duplicity on German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s side. What he finds hypocritical is Mrs Merkel statement that Europe should be better at protecting its outer borders, as that sentence contradicted her permissive immigration policies. He believes that if Europe intends to preserve its identity, it should resist the relentless influx of immigrants from other civilisations. He also worries that the prospect of a “multi-speed” Europe might reproduce the old split between Western and Eastern Europe.

Tags: EU, Orbán, sovereignty, Szijjártó