During a speech on Friday, Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar highlighted his country’s efforts to be a trusted ally within the European Union, aiming to restore confidence among its European partners following Viktor Orbán’s 16 years in power, as reported by France Presse and Agerpres.
His remarks were made on the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Revolution, which opposed Soviet control and was brutally suppressed by the Red Army. This speech notably contrasted with the rhetoric of nationalist Viktor Orbán, an ally of the Kremlin, who has frequently used this occasion to criticize Brussels, likening the EU to the Soviet Union.
“Hungary is not a ‘ferry country’; it cannot drift endlessly between East and West. In 1956, the Hungarian people made a clear choice: we belong to a free and democratic Europe,” Magyar stated to a crowd gathered outside the Hungarian Parliament in Budapest.
He further asserted, “We want to be trustworthy allies, able to sit at the common table with our heads held high, not opportunists isolated by blackmail, following a separate path.”
Attila Rothi, a 56-year-old attendee of the event, echoed Magyar’s sentiments, stating, “Hungary has never distanced itself from the EU; our government did. We have finally rediscovered our country.”
The commemorative events featured EU leaders, prime ministers, and dignitaries from over 40 countries. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered a speech at an official ceremony in Parliament, which was boycotted by the opposition, including Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party.
