INTERVIEW – Orbán: Central European leaders will protect their countries

Budapest (MTI) – Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, commenting on the recent meeting of European heads of state and government in Vienna on the subject of migration, said in an interview that central European leaders had formed an alliance to defend their countries and preserve their ways of life. In an interview to public radio on Sunday, Orbán said central European leaders were determined not to fall into the trap of “quite a few other European countries, who may not even recognise themselves in a few years’ time”.

At the same time, he noted progress on the issue of migration. The so-called western Balkan route is now better defended thanks to Europe’s agreement with Turkey and more resolute action by western Balkan countries. He also mentioned Hungary’s “perseverance” on the matter.

But there are still challenges ahead such as the anticipated return of “an influx of migrants” from the Italian route to the western Balkan route in the autumn, he said.

Meanwhile, the prime minister insisted that western Europeans were now speaking their minds on the issue of migration, and it was increasingly difficult for political leaders to ignore them.

“Europeans have raised their voices and many now dare to speak up”, Orbán said.

“After forty years of Communism, we were used to the idea that free speech is only possible to the west of us,” he said, adding that people in the west had got used to trusting their leaders to resolve problems “even if their decisions seemed odd.”

“People are now saying there is trouble and the solutions are no good. The trouble is just growing and it has reached people’s personal lives because public security has deteriorated,” he added.