Hungary facing a post-election 180-degree turn? TISHA wants to rebuild relations with Poland and break with Russia

Peter Magyar and other leaders of the Hungarian opposition party TISZA presented on Saturday the group's program, including a plan to rebuild relations with Poland and break dependence on imports of energy resources from Russia by 2035.

In the 240-page program, presented by TISZ leaders during a live broadcast on YouTube, the party promises not to increase personal income tax, unfreeze EU funds, rebuild the rule of law, pursue a pro-Western foreign policy and rebuild health care, education and the social system.

Anita Orban, responsible for foreign policy in TISZY's camp, announced a plan to strengthen Hungary's position in the EU and NATO if the party wins the April parliamentary elections. She added that the TISZA government would not accept the EU budget for 2027 in its current form or the migration pact, and would not support Ukraine's accelerated accession to the Community.

Orban also noted that TISHA opposes illegal migration, which is why the wall on the country's southern border with Serbia will be preserved. – We also need to rebuild Polish-Hungarian relations and conduct professional and responsible diplomacy – she emphasized.

At the center of the dispute between the current Hungarian government, led by Viktor Orban, and Donald Tusk's cabinet are two issues: a different approach to the war in Ukraine and the aid provided to it by the EU, and the protection that the authorities in Budapest provided to the former deputy minister of justice, Marcin Romanowski, and the former head of this ministry, Zbigniew Ziobro, wanted by the Polish prosecutor's office.

Presenting TISZA's energy strategy on Saturday, Istvan Kapitany announced that the government of this party will end dependence on imports of Russian energy by 2035, and by 2040 it will double the share of renewable energy in Hungary's energy mix. – TISZA will also reduce utility bills, VAT on firewood and launch an energy modernization program – he announced.

The group's program also includes promises to reduce other taxes, including zero on prescription drugs, as well as to increase social benefits and maintain the 13th and 14th pensions introduced by Orban's government. Magyar's party wants to increase it to 7%. GDP health care spending by 2030 and establish a new ministry for the environment, water and animal welfare.

Parliamentary elections in Hungary will be held on April 12. Most independent polls give TISZa an advantage of several to a dozen or so percentage points over Orban's Fidesz.

Jakub Bawołek from Budapest (PAP)

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