The appearance came amid a scandal surrounding the pardon of a pedophile accomplice, which sparked a wave of outrage in the country and weighed on Orbán and his ruling Fidesz party. Orbán spoke for the first time since President Katalin Novák resigned a week ago. He described it as a “nightmare that has affected us all”.
Last April, Novák pardoned the supporter of a pedophile children’s home director who had been convicted of complicity. The decision became public at the beginning of February following a media report. Novák and the then Justice Minister Judit Varga, who countersigned the pardon, had to withdraw from politics last Saturday. Society’s outrage was evident yesterday, Friday, at a mass demonstration on Budapest’s Heroes’ Square. More than 50,000 people took part in the event organized by YouTubers and influencers to protect children.
A big loss for Hungary
The year 2024 might not have started worse, Orbán began his speech. Orbán praised the outgoing President Novák, who worked and fought for Hungary. Her resignation is indeed the right thing to do, but at the same time it is a great loss for Hungary. Their decision to pardon a perpetrator convicted of covering up pedophile crimes was rejected by the vast majority of Hungarians. Maintaining national unity is the most beautiful and difficult task of the head of state. If this unity becomes unbalanced, a remedy must be found, emphasized Orbán.
Novák was no longer able to restore this unity, which was proven by her resignation. This might only happen with the election of a new head of state. The head of government did not provide any information regarding him in his speech. Orbán announced the strengthening of child protection, stricter regulations and the preparation of a new legislative package for child protection.
A swipe at the opposition
In connection with ex-Justice Minister Varga, who was actually slated to be the ruling party Fidesz’s top candidate in the upcoming EU elections, the Prime Minister recalled that she had countersigned the amnesty decision. “Even good people can make bad decisions.” With regard to the debates following the resignations, Orbán emphasized with a swipe at the opposition: There was “more dignity in the little finger of the two women than in all the leaders of the left.”
But now life goes on, emphasized the Prime Minister and admitted that it had not been possible to keep the budget deficit low and economic growth. At the same time, Hungary is “only a few years away from energy independence,” he pointed out both the construction of the Paks II nuclear power plant and the solar energy expansion program, “which is galloping like a runaway horse.” In connection with the construction of the controversial battery factories in Hungary, Orbán promised that only those factories that met European standards would be allowed to be built.
Changes demanded in Brussels
Orbán once more called for changes in Brussels that had to be enforced. He described it as a “political blunder” that the process of Ukraine’s EU membership has been initiated – albeit slowly. On the other hand, the expansion of the European Union through the Balkan states has stalled.
2024 will be another successful year in Hungary, but Brussels will cause more and more problems and plunge into the “conflict of the two Slavic peoples”. Orbán used this expression to describe the fact that Russia invaded Ukraine and the war has already been going on for two years.
Migration as a risk factor
In connection with the ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership, the Prime Minister emphasized that Parliament would approve it at the beginning of the spring period. This next session begins on February 26th. Since Turkey approved the Scandinavian country’s NATO membership, Hungary is the only NATO country that has not yet ratified.
Orbán questioned whether there would still be a Europe in 20 years. Migration represents a risk factor and is a hotbed of anti-Semitism. Most recently, the Prime Minister expressed his hope that former US President Donald Trump will win the upcoming US elections. Orbán claimed that Trump would ensure peace in the eastern half of Europe.
