Honourable President, President Barroso, Distinguished Members,

My task here today is to provide a short summary of Hungary’s performance during its presidency. I am in an easy situation, because when half a year ago, you were kind enough to invite me, I was allowed to present the program of the Hungarian presidency. It set forth; it articulated concrete, tangible objectives. Six months on, it is easy to compare the facts with the objectives defined. If this was enough to perform an analysis of our work then we could say that the Hungarian presidency completed without exception all the objectives it defined for itself, which you were also kind enough to confirm. 

I would like to avail myself of this opportunity to express our gratitude to the presidency preceding Hungary: Belgium, who did a fantastic job and prepared well our presidency. I would also like to express my gratitude to President Jerzy Buzek. I already mentioned to you in January that we wanted to have a pro-Parliament presidency. Friendship requires two sides and it was this friendship, support and cooperation that I received from your President faultlessly. I would also like to thank President Barroso, who is present here today, because the Council also has to work a lot, for a presidency to be successful. I thank President Barroso for providing me an opportunity for the most open, most frank discussions and professional cooperation even on the toughest questions. I would like to thank the Members of the European Parliament in general, but I would like to especially thank President Daul and the MEPs of the EPP, because you know that although the presidency strives to separate its work from – primary domestic – political issues, this endeavour is never fully possible. Therefore the presidency always needs some sort of political backing. The EPP group and President Daul’s group established the political background required for calm work. Thank you.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

You will also remember that the Hungarian presidency set the objective of a strong Europe. I have always believed that Europe could be stronger than it is now, or than it was six months ago. When thirteen years ago I first participated at the meeting of the European Council as a Prime Minister, I recall that those meetings were optimistic, articulated grand plans; in general they were full of energy and drive. Let us recall that thirteen years ago we were in the midst of the reunification fever, we were celebrating the success of the creation of the Single Market and we created a common currency. Back then it did not seem at all funny; in fact we were all very serious that by 2010, the world’s most developed region could be the European Union. I personally also remember a European Union, which was not defensive, which was not tormented by crisis, which was not worried about itself, which was not full of doubt, but instead saw the future clearly and work purposefully for it.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, Respected fellow representatives,

In summary of the Hungarian presidency I can tell you that in my opinion the European Union is stronger today than it was half a year ago. It is stronger, despite the three, very strong punches to the stomach it got during these six months. I am primarily thinking of the deepening Euro-zone crisis, the nuclear disaster in Japan and the challenges posed by the changes in North-Africa. All these required rapid reaction and whole-hearted work from the presidency. The European Union was capable of reacting to these crises swiftly and efficiently, without us having to modify our designated presidency program. I say that Europe today is stronger than it was half a year ago, yet our voters do not feel this at all. I think the reason for this is that we, who are busy here in the inner sanctuaries of the European Union, feel that we have advanced a lot during the past six months; the voters are mainly confronted with the deepening of the Euro-zone crisis and the Greek crisis in the news. However strong we make the foundations of the European Union, until there is no clear and easy to understand solution for the citizens to the Greek crisis, until single measures and decision do not only provide a breath of air for moths or weeks, however strong Europe becomes, it will not be able to project the image of a strong community. Therefore I encourage you and I wish that you find a solution to this issue as soon as possible.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

The European Union is stronger than it was half a year ago, primarily because by today it has the tools required for crisis prevention that it did not have six months ago. We have launched the European Semester – this was one of the serious challenges of the Hungarian presidency – and by today we can safely say that we do possess the means with which we can prevent the common currency from finding itself again in the difficult situation that it is in today. In this context I have to mention the story of the package of six legislations, which is in a state of preparedness that is above 95%. If we can finally put the icing on the cakes, then our crisis management mechanism will be complete. The ISM-system required for crisis management is also in place, the relevant decisions have been made during the past six months. But Europe is also stronger today because it has a strategy for the Roma people. A strategy which previously did not exist within the European Union, one that is not only important for humanitarian or human rights reasons, but also because it provides an opportunity for us to involve many millions of European citizens on the European labour market, in order to make us stronger economically also. This Roma-strategy is the first document, which not only sees the existence of the Roma-community as challenge, but also looks on them as a serious opportunity and power reserve of the European Union. Europe is stronger than it was half a year ago because the second macro-regional development program was adopted, that we call the Danube-strategy. This is the first strategy, which not only involves member states; it creates the framework of cooperation between eight member states and six non-EU countries.  If we can fill it with content, for which we have every chance since the intellectual preparations have been done, then this could be a success story for our community. The European Union is also stronger because five hours before the end of the Hungarian presidency we managed to conclude the accession negotiations with Croatia. I would like to inform you that this decision is not only about Croatia, it also opens up encouraging perspectives for the other countries of the Western Balkans. In this respect, partly to summarize our presidency experiences and partly those that we have by virtue of our neighbourhood with the region, I have prepared a memorandum on the further enlargement of the European Union in the direction of the Western Balkans, which I have already handed over to leaders of the European institutions, among them to President Buzek as well as the Prime Ministers. The European Union is also stronger today because we are capable of defending our borders better than we were half a year ago. We have made the decisions required to establish European Union capacities for border protection and for curbing migration, while also taking important steps towards deepening and widening the Schengen-cooperation.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Permit me to remind you that it is also the task of the presidency to play a useful role, to be a good vehicle in promoting the cooperation between our complicated European Union structures and in resolving the conflicts that arise from time to time. I would like to call your attention to the fact that we have done this work as well. We have closed several dozens of dossiers, co-decision dossiers, which required the cooperation between the Parliament and the Council. I would also like to inform you that we have come to an agreement on the ways and means through which the Parliament will be involved in the preparation of the multiannual financial perspectives. I have also made personal efforts to ease inter-institutional tensions. I met with President Van Rompuy on thirteen occasions; I also had thirteen official meetings with President Barroso and met nine times to discuss with President Buzek, all with the specific purpose of making the cooperation between European institutions smoother. During the term of the presidency I visited every Prime Minister and tried to prepare common decisions at bilateral talks.

Honoured Ladies and Gentlemen,

Permit me finally to express my hope that Poland, who follows us, will further increase the good standing of Central-Europe. Allow me to express my hope that the Hungarian presidency was also a good preparation for the Polish presidency. All in all, looking at it from medium-term historic perspectives allow me to conclude without modesty, that perhaps the Hungarian presidency and the Polish that follows will surely convince you that the decision made a decade and implemented seven years ago on the enlargement of the European Union towards Central-Europe was a wise decision. It brought to the European Union, our community more colour, strength, vitality and creativity. 

Thank you for your honouring me with your attention.


Viktor Orbán’s response to contributions by MEPs in the European Parliament


Honourable President, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

First of all I would like to reiterate that the Hungarian presidency expresses its gratitude to the European Parliament as a whole. We are grateful to the President of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek who supported our work all along. I would like to repeat that I am especially grateful to the EPP group and its leader in the European Parliament, because without their flattering political support the Hungarian presidency could not have been successful. Let us talk straight. From the very start the Hungarian presidency was constantly attacked by the political left. This could have even paralyzed the presidency and made it impossible for us to achieve our objectives. A lot was needed to fend off the attacks of the international left.  It required the EPP parliamentary group and its leader. I am grateful to the European People’s Party for standing by us all the way and helping us in our work. 

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

There were also a few personal remarks, which I would like to respond to, not for personal reasons but in the interest of Hungary. First of all permit me to talk straight: it is a feeble sleight-of-hand, when somebody says that there are officials who do their jobs well and there are bad leaders. During my twenty-one years in Parliament, I have heard this reasoning on numerous occasions. Such line is used; the opposition always uses this line when there is a government with incontestable success. When the opposition cannot cast a shadow of doubt, but does not wish to acknowledge success and accord it to political leaders, but instead decides to delegate it to the officials. This line of reasoning could even be funny, if it were not so boring, that it is tiring by now. What concerns the remark made by Mr. Tabajdi, about some governments in Europe, which as he remembers made remarks about the Hungarian constitution and criticised it - what I say now is not directed to Brussels, but to national governments – no European Prime Minister, no European government is in a position to tell Hungarians what kind of constitution they can have and what not. This is an issue solely for the Hungarian people and we will make the decision on this. Similarly, I have to say Mr. Tabajdi that we are in favour of a peaceful, composed and calm debate, but you know as Hungarians say: “what comes around, goes around”.

After this Ladies and Gentlemen, I also need to respond to a remark by MEP Cohn-Bendit, which demonstrated undeserved attention concerning my person. First of all, I am grateful for the flattering attention with which you follow my political career, including speeches I make in Budapest. I would like to reiterate my opinion that Brussels is not Moscow. I would like to make it clear that I will always protect Hungary from the kind of remarks, even if they come from Brussels, which could be interpreted in Hungary as you trying to tell us what we can and what we cannot do. You are not in a position to tell us this and I have to tell you that I can increase the support for Europe at home if I make it clear to Hungarians that you will never be able to tell Hungarians what they can and what they cannot do. It seems that there is going to be one prevailing difference in the political debates of our coexistence. I would like to remind you: both of us are undoubtedly rebels at heart. You rebelled against civil democracy, whereas I rebelled against autarchy. It seems that this difference still exists. I am very truly sorry that you follow the tradition of the European left according to which, if people do not vote for it, that there is no democracy anymore, if they are left out of government. This is familiar reasoning in Hungary. 

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Now let me also thank the eurosceptics for their supportive remarks, you practically helped our work all along for which we are grateful. At the same time we do have to clarify something, the Hungarian government and myself, we are not eurosceptics. We are not sceptics in general; it is a question of habit. We are optimistic and hopeful, who wish to believe in things, rather than to be sceptical about them. Therefore we believe in European unity, we believe in European cooperation. I belong to the generation, whose grandparents clearly explained to us that if there is no European cooperation and no European unity, then sooner or later there is going to be war in Europe. We take this seriously. Therefore as a nation that suffered a lot during world wars, we will always stand by European cooperation and European ideals. At the same time, I would also like to make it clear that I have always considered your work to be valuable. I also belong to a community in Hungary, whose basic motto – because of which it separated from the Catholic Church – was that the ecclesia is always in need of being reformed. Therefore your provocative, critical remarks are always very useful for the European Union, because just like the ecclesia, which is always in need of being reformed, so is the European Union, and such provocative remarks are indeed necessary, therefore I am grateful for the support you provided for our work.

Concerning the constitution. First of all, I would like to make it clear that the European Union respects the constitutional identity and the national identity of member states. This is entirely clear from the Treaty on the European Union and also reiterated by rulings of the Luxembourg court. Therefore we insist that the constitution should be adopted by the Hungarians. At the same time, I would also like to make it clear to you that the fact that the Hungarian constitution places life, the family, the nation and human dignity in the centre is an attitude that was received with support, sympathy and warmth by several millions of people in Europe. In this European Union there are not only people who are critical about the Hungarian constitution, but there are also those for whom life, the family, the nation and human dignity are extremely important and who are happy that there is a constitution, which places emphasis on these and we are proud that many millions of people agree with us in Europe and consider the Hungarian constitution to be a nice achievement.
 
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Finally, so as not to leave any misunderstanding between us, since you have mentioned the report of the Venice Commission so many times, let me read to you three sentences from the beginning of the report: „Hungary has adopted a new Constitution which aims to meet the general features of a modern Constitution within the framework of the Council of Europe. In particular, the Venice Commission welcomes the fact that this new Constitution establishes a constitutional order based on democracy, the rule of law and the protection of fundamental rights as underlying principles. A particular effort has been made to follow closely the technique and the contents of the European Court of Human Rights and to some extent the EU Charter.” 

I have to say that everything said, the Hungarian constitution is a modern, European, democratic constitution in nature and in political character. In all the details, the Hungarians will, as it is set forth in the European treaties, exercise their own rights to formulate the required rules in the Hungarian Parliament. I thank those who were kind enough to wish the Hungarians strength and health for this work.

In closing, allow me to repeat that it was great to cooperate with you in the recent period. It was great, not only when you supported us – I have to say this to President Svoboda as well – it was even great to debate with you. I have come to know a lot of nice Members on the European left, who although are critical with us, share with us in our European ideals. I am very thankful for the cooperation; I wish you a lot of success and ask that you support the Polish presidency just as much as you supported the Hungarian presidency.


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