In a statement made at the beginning of his visit to Paris, in the garden of the Élysée Palace, in the company of the French head of state, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stressed that on the issues of security, border protection and a common European defence force, the Central European and French positions are close to one another.
Additionally, he said, he will try to make Emmanuel Macron understand why the Hungarian position on the issue of migration is so different from the French.
Hungary has different civilisational traditions, and can therefore contribute to European security with the means of solidarity differently from the way France can, the Prime Minister pointed out.
He also highlighted, mentioning the cause of the EU’s enlargement, that Europe’s security can be enhanced by “pushing further” South the gate of the EU, and finding a form of enlargement which will strengthen the security of the whole of Europe. He will argue for this at the Paris meeting in order to identify the right pace and methods regarding the issue of enlargement.
The Prime Minister also spoke about climate policy, highlighting that Hungary is a climate champion. It is in the top third of European countries regarding carbon emissions, and is ready to continue the efforts. At the same time, he also stressed the importance of striking the balance between competitiveness and the climate battle.
Regarding Hungarian-French relations, Mr Orbán said France is the fourth largest investor in Hungary, and there are excellent economic relations between the two countries. There are 670 French businesses operating in Hungary, providing jobs for 40,000 Hungarians. He expressed hope that French investors will continue their activities in Hungary.
In his statement, the Prime Minister said the French President is greatly respected in Hungary because he is a leader who has brought back into European politics the intellectual strength of debates about visions, and this is something that we greatly appreciate. We sincerely hope that Europe will regain its imagination, he stressed.