It was a precondition for the meeting that the issue of nationality rights was resolved. In recent weeks, an agreement has been reached. They will be able to announce this as a success,
There is clearly a conflict [between the EU’s interests and Budapest’s],
I take pills to calm myself when I talk about this issue because it’s getting really ridiculous … At every turn of the road you see the Hungarians hampering Ukraine’s ability to fight an aggressor.”
Orbán is here tomorrow, unless there is a last-minute change,
There'll only be a small influence on the legislative agenda. That starts much later, possibly at the end of the year, possibly at the beginning of next year,
Everybody was striving to reduce instability, thus restricting the room for manoeuvre for the Hungarian presidency,
At the same time, we believe Hungary has a strong mandate to pursue a strong European policy. Our work will reflect this vision of Europe,
We will be honest brokers, working loyally with all member states and institutions,
Europe is increasingly being dragged into a war in which it has nothing to gain and everything to lose.”
I think [the Hungarian presidency] is a fiasco for the European Union,
That’s why I dread the current period when Orbán’s term in the rotating presidency coincides with the interregnum. My guess is that we see all kinds of new repressions carried out in Hungary during this period.”
You can be completely [negatively] influencing the rule of law now in the EU, and have your presidency,
What Europeans want is three things: peace, order and development,
Orbán’s strategy is not to object to absolutely everything,
Almost all our decisions and needed discussions are being blocked by one country,
Orbán has previously used two pauses in EU vigilance to consolidate autocracy. He used his rotating presidency in 2011 to bring into effect his new autocratic constitution and many accompanying laws specifying the details about the new constitutional system,
The Hungarian government has been using the image of Brussels as a punching bag,
These six months are altogether not that long, which means that ... Hungary cannot do potentially much harm, even according to the critics,
The presidency has set itself the goal of ensuring that some of that enthusiasm spills over to the Western Balkans so that they can all come a step closer to membership,
We won't allow ourselves to be dragged into any wars, won't allow illegal immigrants to be forced upon us, and won't even consider allowing our children to be indoctrinated,