The attacks against Hungary are part of a series of attacks delivered by the European left against countries where the left wing is not in power, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told Hungary’s Hir TV in an interview. Regarding the offensive comments of European Commission (EC) Vice President Vera Jourova against Hungary, he stressed that Ms Jourova was George Soros’s ally in the EC, which is nothing new.
With the pandemic around, securing hospital beds for coronavirus patients is the most important thing today, Hungarian PM Viktor Orban told Hir TV in the interview. He added that according to expert calculations, in the worst-case scenario, the number of people infected with COVID-19 may reach 200 thousand. To treat this number of patients, the country’s healthcare system will need 16 thousand hospital beds and 800-1,000 ventilators.
Speaking about the economy, Mr Orban said the government will introduce tax breaks and economic stimulus measures, highlighting that Katalin Novak – in her new position as Minister for Family Affairs – had presented the pillars of a new home-building programme at the cabinet meeting. Some elements of the programme have already been adopted and, as a result, VAT on housing construction will be lowered again to 5 per cent for housing development projects to be completed by 31 December 2022.
The prime minister called the planned wage hike for doctors a breakthrough, an achievement Hungary has not seen in the last 50-60-70 years.
Regarding the epidemic, he said it is expected to be prevalent for another 7 or 8 months, adding that so long as there is no vaccine, people will not be safe from the virus and the strain on doctors will be enormous. “When, if not now, my logic suggested,” he added.
With regard to a recent ruling by the European Court of Justice that found the conditions imposed by the Hungarian parliament on foreign higher education institutions operating in Hungary to be incompatible with EU law, the Hungarian premier said “regardless of whether we consider the rulings of the European Court of Justice good or not, whether we consider them professionally mature or not, whether we consider them absurd or clever, we normally enforce them. This will also be the case now.”
Speaking about George Soros, the prime minister noted that he is the kind of patriot who surprises no one when he attacks his own country abroad. The attacks against Hungary are part of a series of attacks delivered by the European left against countries where the left wing is not in power, Viktor Orban pointed out.
“They always attack only those countries where the left is not in government, and they attack these countries in a bid to raise the left to power sooner or later,” the prime minister said, adding that this is also the case now. He recalled that back in the day, the deployment of Soviet troops to Hungary to protect the Communists was branded “internationalist assistance.”
“Now the situation is the same. The Hungarian left is weak and opposed by most people,” Viktor Orban explained, saying Brussels is trying to raise Hungary’s left-wing parties to power.”
Reiterating his earlier statement, the prime minister described Hungary’s opposition as ground up and loaded in a sausage casing, from the far right all the way to the Communists. “There they are, in a sausage skin, which I can only name from the one who is behind all this, and provides the funding. This man is George Soros, which is why I tend to call it a Soros sausage,” the prime minister said.
Speaking about EU Commission Vice President Vera Jourova’s statements criticising Hungary, Viktor Orban said that calling Hungary’s democracy “sick” was not the most extreme statement she had made. The worst was when she claimed that “Hungarian people are not in a position to make their own decisions,” the prime minister said.
“This is no longer politics; it is about Hungarian people,” the Hungarian premier said, adding that Ms Jourova sees Hungarians as fools who are not in a position to make their own choices. “It’s an insult which goes deeper and leads one to say that it must end,” Viktor Orban said.
The prime minister explained that Vera Jourova is one of George Soros’s allies in the European Commission. “This is European politics today. It’s not worth being offended over, but one must not stay silent, either. We simply have to face the situation,” the Hungarian premier said.
Regarding the joint EU loan, Mr Orban contended that there are countries, especially in the south, that will collapse if they fail to receive this financial assistance.
“If they collapse, they will not drag us with them because we are not in the eurozone, but no doubt we will suffer. We will also contract some of their illness,” the prime minister said. He pointed out that the issue is questionable from a Hungarian viewpoint, adding however that – in line with European logic and the principle of solidarity – it’s a risk worth taking together, with the other countries.