Answering journalists' questions before the summit of EU leaders in Copenhagen, The Hungarian Prime Minister rejected the proposal, according to which, to open negotiating chapters, a qualified majority would be enough, not a unanimous decision. Orban emphasized that there is a legally defined negotiation procedure that he must follow.
– I don't think legal tricks work. The extension process has so far been the same way. Each country had to open and close each chapter and it should not be changed – said the Prime Minister of Hungary cited by the Index portal. All member states must agree to leave from unanimity.
Commenting on the Budapest position towards Ukrainian efforts for the EU accession, Orban pointed out that this opposition “is not a government position, but a hungarian position.” The prime minister referred to the results of the “VOKS 2025” national consultations previously carried out this year, in which – as the government announced in June – 95 percent. The voters were opposed to the accelerated path of Ukraine's accession to the community. The vote was accompanied by an anti -Ukrainian campaign run by Hungarian authorities.
Hungary has been blocking the start of Ukraine's negotiations with the EU since February.
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Orban proposes a “strategic agreement” with Ukraine
On Wednesday, Orban proposed a “strategic agreement” with Kiev to replace Ukraine membership in the EU. – Ukraine is a heroic country that we must support, it is beyond doubt. Hungary, however, does not agree to the country's membership in the EU. This situation may change in a hundred years, but at the moment we will stick to our position – the politician pointed out.
Atonio Costa announced in front of the Wednesday summit to present a joint response to the recent violations of the airspace, including in connection with the invasion of Russian drones to Poland. The European Commission, however, pointed out that due to continuous military aggression to Ukraine and a recent increase in the violations of the airspace of the Member States, two EU flagship projects – a drone wall and the Eastern Flanka Guard – “require special urgency and should be implemented immediately”.
In an interview with the media, Orban supported the plan to strengthen the protection of the EU borders against hostile drones, saying that “if a foreign object flying to Hungary, we shot down it, regardless of whether the drone wall exists or not.”
