EP Elections – Orban Says Conflict With Brussels Unavoidable

Budapest, May 23 (MTI) – Conflicts between Hungary and Brussels are unavoidable because those that refuse to engage in a dispute are “chumps” and unsuitable to represent the country, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on public radio Kossuth today.

Among the Hungarian issues that have caused conflicts with Brussels are Hungary’s institution of life imprisonment without eligibility for parole, Orban said, adding that based on the reasoning by the Strasbourg court in the matter, he did not see a reason for Hungary to change its laws. He added that capital punishment would also have a deterrent effect on crime, yet the European Union also prohibits it.

Commenting on the issue of free palinka distillation, he said a new legal solution is being prepared that “will enable palinka distillation in Hungary in practice while respecting the European court’s decision.” He added, however, that he expected this new legislation would also be attacked.

He also mentioned the growing of Hungarian false acacia and making honey as areas where the European Union should not intervene into Hungary’s practices.

Orban said there were several decisions in Hungary which could be blocked by Brussels, for example, “they want to reverse electricity price cuts and block the protection of Hungarian land”.