Orbán in Warsaw: Hungary, Poland guardians of EU founding treaty – UPDATE

Hungary and Poland are the guardians of the European Union’s founding treaty, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Friday in Warsaw at a press conference together with his Polish counterpart Beata Szydlo. 

Less Brussels, more nation states

Speaking at a press conference held jointly with Szydlo, Orbán compared the European Union’s ongoing legal action against Poland to an inquisition, saying it was politically charged.

Orbán voiced Hungary’s solidarity towards all EU member states in similar situations to Poland.

“We want to see less of Brussels and stronger nation states,” Orbán said,

suggesting that this was the reason for the EU’s “politically-charged” procedures.

To visit Poland is to visit one of the most successful countries in the EU, Orbán said, adding that the bloc would be much the poorer for losing Poland, witnessing the country’s economic, academic and cultural accomplishments.

Orbán called Poland’s GDP growth rate “fantastic”, saying it was a driving force behind the EU’s economy. He said

Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia were not far behind Poland in terms of economic growth.

Orbán said he and Szydlo had talked about launching “one or two large joint projects”, adding that Poland and Hungary would “gladly accept” input from the other two Visegrad countries if they wished to join. Details of the projects are still to be worked out, he added.

The two leaders also discussed the future of Europe and concluded that Hungary and Poland are the guardians of the EU’s founding treaty in light of the ongoing debate about the bloc’s future. Orbán said Hungary and Poland were working to make sure that no member state can violate the treaty that he said was derived from the EU’s member states. This principle is something that Hungary and Poland are protecting, he said.

“We show respect to every other country even if this is not reciprocated,” Orbán said, adding that what was taking place in the EU against Poland was “disrespectful”.

“Poland should be spoken of in a manner of respect,” the prime minister said.

Orbán and Szydlo also talked about their ongoing disputes with the EU. Orbán said he had concluded based on Szydlo’s argument that criticisms levelled against Poland over the rule of law were unfounded. Hungary believes it is wrong to level baseless criticisms over the rule of law against any member state, he said.

The prime minister called for an EU that did not allow for its institutions to “stealthily” take over more and more powers from member states.

‘We don’t want to be an immigrant country’