At the 28th annual congress of Fidesz, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stressed that Hungary is no longer “alone on the battlefield”: it is now a member of a powerful battalion, which includes the Poles, Czechs and Slovaks – and, it is to be hoped, from Sunday evening the Austrians also. He also said that it is only a question of time before Italian freedom also unfurls its flag again.
Mr. Orbán said that these are the countries which want an alliance of European nations and not a Brussels empire, and which do not want immigrant societies, but want to remain proud European nations rooted in Christian culture.
Mr. Orbán also pointed out that an agreement must be reached between the two halves of Europe, but with clear conditions attached: people in the West must accept that others have the right to live their lives according to the laws of Christian freedom, and they must call a halt to the open attacks on other states and governments. The Party President and Prime Minister declared that “We are no longer prepared to finance from European money an army of Soros-type, fake non-governmental organisations that are hostile to us”, and he called on the latter to leave Central Europe.
He said there must also be an end to stealth campaigns against Central European governments, and such means must not be used to assist favoured parties to power. Referring to recent events in Austrian domestic politics, he added that “one ‘Ibiza’ is enough”.
He said that the EU budget is was not designed to enable liberals to engage in the financing of their favoured teams and media, of immigrants serving their aims, or of the training and deployment of demonstration organisers and activists.
As examples of such stealth attacks, He mentioned Macedonia’s internal political instability and the problems encountered by the Government of Romania. He stated that the greatest threat to the peaceful and calm life and economic achievements of the Central European region are posed by the international Left and the liberal networks of Washington and Brussels embedded in international politics. He added that it was therefore right for Central Europe to have “yanked the chair of President of the Commission from under Timmermans, the Soros representative”.
At the same time, the Prime Minister said, Central Europe is not only making demands, but is also fulfilling its obligations: it is strengthening the EU’s financial discipline, contributing to growth and defending the continent’s external borders. Regarding the latter, he again confirmed the offer he made to Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte: if so requested, Hungary is happy to take over the defence of certain sections of the Italian state border. “And if you’re unable to manage – even though you let them in – we agree to help in the transportation from Italy of large numbers of migrants back to where they came from […] You need only say the word, and we are ready to take action.”
In his opinion, the next decade will be the decade of Central Europe.
Summing up the work completed in Hungary in recent years, Mr. Orbán stressed that there had been the creation of a Christian democratic state which was achieved through two political transformations. The first transformation had seen the elimination of the Soviet world. This, however, was followed by the “nightmare governance” of the Socialists, and “we alone were the ones who chose constitutional revolution over a street revolution”. The latter, he continued, was the second political transformation: a Christian transformation, which “we configured in the spirit of Christian freedom”.
Mr. Orbán itemised the elements of Christian freedom thus: patriots instead of citizens of the world; love of country instead of internationalism; marriage and family instead of popularising same-sex relationships; protecting our children instead of drug liberalisation; Hungarian children instead of immigrants; Christian culture instead of a multicultural confusion; order and security instead of violence and terrorism; unification of the nation instead of the 5 December betrayal of the nation (in 2004).
He observed, however, that the 5 December traitors of the nation are still on the political stage: those who in 2006 orchestrated mounted police charges; those who left Fidesz Member of Parliament Máriusz Révész beaten and bloodied; those who drove the country to economic collapse; those who lured people into the trap of foreign currency debt. He added that such individuals have no idea how lucky they are with the Hungarian people.
Speaking about the tasks of the coming decade, the Prime Minister said that Fidesz will be the party that can boast to have eliminated poverty in Hungary. He described the improvement of the situation of Hungary’s Roma as another great task for the decade ahead.
Regarding October’s local elections, the Party President said that on the opposition side some things have happened since last year’s parliamentary election. Now, he said, there are “two Gyurcsánys” instead of one: one at home in Hungary, and another in Brussels, obstructing the interests of the Hungarian people.
For a while it may have seemed as though rival factions within the opposition had buried the hatchet, he said, but in the past two days even a blind man could see that in fact they would rather bury one another. One could say, he said, that the good “Zugló Socialist” (from Budapest’s 14th District) is eliminating his partner.
Mr. Orbán observed that many people claim that the omens are good and the party could score a great victory, but nothing should be left to chance, noting that “the communists will all be there, so we should also be there”.
He expressed incomprehension at why the leadership of the city of Szeged would want it to be left out of development and growth, and why they would want it to become a “migrant city”. He warned his audience to be under no illusions: when the immigration quotas are vetoed again, the proponents of quotas will try to sign agreements with cities. He added that if Szeged remains in the hands of the Left, it will be the principal target for resettlement. He said that if this is what the people of Szeged truly want, it would be easier to ask Frans Timmermans to become mayor.
He pointed out that the attacks of the party’s opponents are a diminishing factor and the bonds of camaraderie are an increasing factor in holding together the framework of the party’s community – for which wisdom, courage, fairness and moderation are needed. He added that the generational renewal of Fidesz is also making good progress, and the party’s future is guaranteed for several decades ahead.
The Prime Minister stated that what has happened to date is “not to be sneezed at”, but the truly great things are yet to come, and “there is no way I would want to be left out of that”.
The battle being fought for the country is not some kind of misfortune, he said, but a once-in-a-lifetime display of Hungary’s virtues. Closing his address, Mr. Orbán said: “Hungary before all else, God above us all. Go for it Hungary, go for it Hungarians!”
The Prime Minister was re-elected as president of the party with 1,406 votes.
As vice presidents the congress re-elected Katalin Novák (1,396 votes), Gábor Kubatov (1,392 votes) and Szilárd Németh (1,359 votes); departing Vice-President Gulyás Gergely was replaced by Lajos Kósa (1,387 votes).
