Speeches

In the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, exploiting Europe’s potential for research and innovation is a priority. Developing new innovations is essential for the EU's economic recovery and for increasing Europe's competitiveness. As a result of the pandemic, researchers have faced a number of challenges, their situation has become precarious, they are experiencing more difficult working conditions, the pandemic situation has been an obstacle to the free movement of researchers, the exchange of knowledge technologies between Member States. For this reason, one of the important elements of the Hungarian government's economic protection action plan is to support the employment of highly qualified specialists in the research and development sector, promoting the long-term employment of tens of thousands of workers in the sector, maintaining wages, avoiding redundancies and creating new jobs. Last year, the wage subsidy for research, development and innovation contributed HUF 17 billion to keep nearly 23,000 professionals in work. The wage subsidy program relaunched in January this year contributed to the retention of more than 16 thousand highly qualified professionals with a total of HUF 12 billion. It is important that, by strengthening the European Research Area and widening participation, EU Member States can receive greater financial support in order to make optimal use of their national research and innovation potential. European small and medium-sized enterprises should be able to directly apply the European Research Area tools across all sectors, thus strengthening long-term strategic cooperation between academia and business.

Dear Madam President, The internal market of the European Union cannot be completed today. But how could he, when he is strangling it with Brussels' rules and ideology? Instead of strengthening competitiveness, more and more restrictions and more expensive energy are being imposed on European businesses. Let's finally face reality. At such high energy prices, European businesses are not developing but are closing down. Factories are shutting down, jobs are being lost, while our competitors in other parts of the world are boosting their economies with cheap energy. If we really want to increase Europe's competitiveness, we cannot ban the import of certain energy products for purely political and ideological reasons. We Hungarians say clearly that we say no to blackmail. We will not allow Hungary's economy and European businesses to be sacrificed on the altar of ideological decisions.

Dear Madam President, The left seems to think that there is nothing to be done in the European Union. If there are failures, they simply point outwards. Right now it is the United States, and that is what this debate is about. You are not disturbed by the rule of law, but by Donald Trump's failure to rise to the liberal fashion wave and his consistent policy on migration. The President of the United States is pursuing a policy that is not in line with that of Brussels. A policy that states: The state has the right and duty to protect its borders and protect its citizens. Hungary does this consistently. It is time to finally face up to their own failures and not to lecture others, but to strive for a real partnership with the Americans, with the United States.

Mr. President, please. Listening to this debate about various migration brainstormings, newer and newer distributional proposals, I have the feeling that many people here still do not understand the essence of the problem. You are talking about quotas, mechanisms and administrative solutions, while a genuine influx of migrants has been taking place at Europe's borders for years. One inevitably asks the question: Where were you when Prime Minister Viktor Orbán defended Europe's external borders from the influx of migrants? Where were you when Hungary took on alone what everyone now calls a problem? Back then, education, attack and moralisation came from Brussels. What was the reward? We are punished with one million euros a day for saying no to illegal migration, while Brussels has unleashed the wave of migration with its irresponsible decisions, and today you do not dare to speak the truth in your own cities. No-go zones, integration failures and growing cultural pressures in schools that are incompatible with the values of local societies. We don't want any of this! Hungary will not be an immigrant country, not an experimental field. We have defended the borders, we have defended them, and this should not be punished, but thanked.

Madam President, I'm sorry. The 28th regime is not a mere proposal, but another attempt by Brussels to expand its own powers to the detriment of the competences of the Member States, to curtail the principle of unanimity. The experience of recent years is clear: What you choose today will become tomorrow's mandatory rule. Corporate law and taxation are not Brussels competences, but the basis of national economic policy. These decisions cannot be taken away from the Member States without seriously damaging competitiveness and democratic responsibility. Europe's competitiveness today is not weakened by a lack of rules, but by excessive, often ideological, regulation. Businesses want less administration and more room for manoeuvre, not new legal experiments.

Madam President, I'm sorry. We are before Christmas, shops are full of defective products, European supply chains are collapsing, unreachable customer services, and consumers are helpless in the face of the situation, and this is not by chance. Poor market surveillance in the EU, the plethora of problems and fraud affecting e-commerce, the slowness of alternative dispute resolution options created by the EU and the persistent delays in Brussels mean that European fraudsters are on the rise and consumers are at a loss. And what does the Commission do about it? It launches a new consumer strategy, full of evocative slogans such as digital fairness, while in practice new loopholes are opening up that make consumers completely vulnerable in the digital space. These are not real solutions, only theories and vague priorities. Consumers must be protected, ensuring genuine product safety and effective consumer protection in the EU.

It is also very good that we speak Hungarian, because I want to be able to understand what I am about to say in Hungary without any interpretation. You've joined Manfred Weber's party, you've joined Manfred Weber's faction. You have been sitting in a faction that has allowed millions of illegal migrants into Europe in the last 15 to 20 years, because of which at the moment it is not possible to go to a Christmas market for children, parents, adults, the elderly, in peace and tranquility in Western Europe. And you stand up with your multi-tech history, stand up here in this House and attack the Hungarian government? Are you insulting the government in this House? I'll ask for it myself!

Dear Madam President, Child protection is a fundamental obligation. Among the dangers of the digital world, the role of the family is irreplaceable. The European Commission can coordinate, but it cannot replace parents, communities and national legislators. In particular, it is not able to carry out effectively the market surveillance tasks assigned to it. There are many dangers to our children today. I simply cannot say nothing, I apologise, the chief speaker of the European People's Party, the representative of Tisza, today talks about child protection, while previously he worked for the very tech giant that dragged minors into the world of addiction and online dangers for years. And let's talk about your party, the Tisza. Today, everyone is being educated on cybersecurity and digital issues in a loud voice, while the data of a simple application could not be kept safe due to their negligence. We want real and effective child protection online. Thank you very much!

Mr. President, please. Accession to the Union is not a matter of political bargaining, but of clear, transparent conditions. Each candidate country must comply with the same rules. Countries cannot be linked, packaged and politically pressured to push through decisions. The enlargement of the European Union is not an ideological playground, but a serious foreign policy and strategic decision affecting the common future of all of us. It should therefore be clearly stated: In foreign affairs, unanimity is the basis, and we do not have to, nor should we change that. This is the last true guarantee of the sovereignty of the Member States.

Dear Mr President, Today, the digital space is not only a technology, but also a foundation for freedom of speech and innovation. Unfortunately, the European Commission has recently moved in a direction of gold-plating that not only hinders, but also makes it impossible for our businesses to operate. Digital internal market rules are often so complex and burdensome that companies are unable to put them into practice and tend to suspend their previous activities. This serious mistake threatens fundamental civil rights, while hampering innovation and not providing real protection for European citizens. We Patriots are not asking Brussels and the Commission for more bureaucracy, but for an opportunity to work, to develop and to innovate. Ursula von der Leyen and her Commission, on the other hand, have taken these very things from us in recent years: jobs, investment, development, the future of the people of Europe.

Dear Mr President, The review of EU public procurement rules is highly timely. The development of digitalisation and the spread of new technologies all encourage us to modernise, simplify and adapt the framework to the real needs of the economy. However, we are saddened to see that the left is once again taking this process in a different direction. Ideological, green and often unattainable social aspects are smuggled into a fundamentally economic area. This attitude is not an answer to the day-to-day problems of businesses, but only creates new obstacles for them. It is difficult to expect the Commission to reform public procurement effectively when it has failed in all other areas. Ms Von der Leyen promised to increase the EU’s competitiveness. In reality, it is difficult and unpredictable for businesses to apply for anything, as they also face very high energy prices, the consequences of adverse agreements with the United States and excessive bureaucracy. In this review, the Commission is therefore expected to make a proposal that strengthens competitiveness and serves the economy.

Dear Madam President, Dear Madam Prime Minister, Dear Minister, The responsibility of the Member State holding the rotating Presidency is enormous. Its primary task is to facilitate coordination between the Member States, even when we are talking about socialist governments. Already at the beginning of the Danish Presidency, you have taken politically-based positions, which are particularly threatening to my country, Hungary. I don't get it. Europe now needs peace, real competitiveness. You want to accelerating the accession of a country at war to the EU. The Hungarian people clearly said no to this. With this step, you would destroy European security, economy and agriculture, while blackmailing Hungary's freely elected government and its electorate. In 2015, Hungarians once said no to their threats, to their education, to illegal migration, to integration difficulties, to imported terrorism and anti-Semitism, to the atrophy of the majority language in our schools and institutions. This may be the way to Brussels, it may be your way, but we are not asking for it, just as we are not asking for it now, for education, for incitement to war and for the destruction of the European economy. I ask the Danish Presidency to respect the democratic decision of my compatriots, the Hungarian people.

Dear Madam President, Since the COVID-19 outbreak, European aviation has been facing an increasing number of problems. Cancellations, long delays, missing baggage and, in many cases, airline liability-averse, often cynical attitudes all over Europe. Our citizens often wait weeks or months for legitimate refunds. This practice is not only unfair, but also profoundly unfair. The experience is clear: the current regulatory frameworks are outdated and do not provide adequate protection for travellers in the digital era across Europe. We must ask ourselves, how can it happen that citizens of the 21st century are still forced to travel according to the rules of the 20th century? This situation is not worthy of the European Union, the pace of legislation is not reassuring, more than a decade has passed without any real progress in this area. We are in favour of a modern, passenger-friendly and predictable consumer protection, where the rules are not only formulated but also implemented.

Mr. President, please. One of the most important achievements of the European Union is our single internal market. However, the competitiveness of the Union is constantly declining and our global competitors are increasingly ahead of us. Excessive bureaucracy is hampering European businesses and especially producers, while success sectors are increasingly abandoning production on our continent. Our market is flooded with unsafe products of dubious origin and unhealthy agricultural products are pushing down our domestic producer prices. Instead of focusing on strengthening the single market and making it more efficient, decisions are now under threat to allow third countries to enter this already damaged single market. This is irresponsible and dangerous. Such a move could further increase economic instability and ultimately reduce the resources available to Member States. Honourable Members, this cannot remain the case.

Dear Mr President, We Hungarians know well the horrors of communism and the Arrow Cross dictatorship. Our ancestors and we remember how they deprived people of their freedom, their faith and their national identity. During the communist Arrow Cross dictatorship, political repression, forced labour camps, the secret police and the suppression of freedom of speech were commonplace. The government brutally suppressed all resistance. On the Day of the Righteous, we remember with respect all those who have sacrificed their lives in defence of human dignity and in the struggle for freedom. Unfortunately, we see that democratic values in Europe are still at risk. In some cases, we drift in the direction of arbitrariness. In Europe, elections are cancelled and politicians are banned from democratic elections. This day should therefore not only be a memory of the past, but also a warning. Europe can never again afford to drift in the direction of arbitrariness. We must fight for freedom, for justice, and defend what the victims of communism and fascism have tried to defend, national self-determination and genuine democracy.

My colleague has visited Hungary several times, perhaps for the last time at the event of the Tisza Party. May I remind you: In Poland, Constitutional Court rulings are ignored, fellow party members have taken over public television, MPs are arrested on the open street. On the basis of a statement by your representatives, I have printed it here, and you have received support from the same left-wing NGOs that have actively intervened in Hungarian domestic politics. I would like to ask you, is this why you are attacking the constitutional rights of Hungarian parents and children? Is this why you want to force NGOs spreading gender and transideology on Hungarian families? We protect our children!

Mr. President, please. The European Consumer Day is an opportunity to take stock of the current situation, the responsibility of the Brussels administration. We rightly expect the European Union to assert the protection of its 440 million citizens firmly and consistently. Instead, however, we see the internal market flooded with dubious products of uncertain origin, while being plagued by excessive bureaucracy in their own businesses. We need to build a Europe where regulation in the internal market is genuinely in the interests of citizens, not at the mercy of poor-quality products.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Family law issues are deeply rooted in the legal systems and social traditions of the Member States and it is therefore essential that EU legislation in this area respects the principle of subsidiarity. With this proposal, you want to crush with one foot the democratic decision of the Member States, our common treaties and the Fundamental Law of my country. It is not possible to regulate the issue of parenthood and parenthood at Community level, as advocated by my left-wing and liberal colleagues and NGOs. It is important to respect the cultural and legal traditions of the Member States. It is important that the European Union does not again exceed its competence and that the Member States are free to decide on family and parenthood matters. It is not Ursula von der Leyen who decides who is a parent in a Member State. Luckily for you.

Dear Mr President, Europe is lagging behind its American and Asian partners in developing strategic communication tools for the 21st century. Of course, we need to change that. This question, this idea, is clear. European left-wing decision-makers were not particularly interested in this House until Donald Trump was elected President of the United States of America. He eliminates left-wing media hegemony, which is partly financed with public money, public funding of political pressure organizations without electoral authority, lying to NGOs, and unilateral left-wing censorship of social media, including Facebook. It is feared that in this House, under European sovereignty, not the development of indispensable infrastructure and technology, but the evacuation of left-wing NGOs and dubiously funded media products, self-proclaimed sensors that despise democracy, would be financed.

Dear Mr President, Particular attention was paid to Mr Freund, who seemed to be a fortune-teller, but perhaps later. So the European economy is weakening, European decision-makers cannot find a solution to mass migration. Germany's left-wing federal government has also allowed millions of people into Europe. In Western Europe, in the complete absence of cultural integration, immigration is tearing societies apart. Europe is losing its global competitiveness. There is a terrible war going on in Ukraine. And what do we see today? In this House, an imperial posture is assumed by a left-wing pact elite. It's you. And for a newspaper article without a source, funded by George Soros, in the midst of the mud-throwing, he initiates a umpteenth debate on Hungary in this House. Yes, you are again. What's next? Do you read from your palms or do you pour fish blood over yourself? You think that you can divert the attention of the European people, but what you are doing is that Italy, Hungary, the Netherlands, the United States, and, I might say, they will suffer further defeats. Next time in Germany, in federal elections.

(Start of speech when microphone is switched off) ... gladly ask: Have you forgotten what democracy means? Donald Trump won a democratic election in the United States. Mr Kickl won a democratic election in Austria. Hopefully he will be able to establish and form a strong Austrian government. You are not a Democrat. You are insulting voters, you are insulting democracy, you are insulting democratic elections. Shame on you!