Like Ursula von der Leyen’s new Commission, António Costa, elected President of the Council of Europe, will assume office on 1 December. The former Portuguese prime minister gave an interview to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera ahead of his term’s commencement, during which he also talked about Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Costa highlighted that Viktor Orbán has been a highly constructive politician in recent years, shaping his positions based on Hungary’s national interests. He noted that disagreements among leaders were less political and more rooted in differing national priorities.
‘Viktor Orbán is the longest-serving member of the European Council. Normally, we do not share the same positions on major issues. But even when he is isolated, I have always observed him adopting a constructive stance,’ Costa remarked.
The incoming President of the European Council recalled the EU summit last December, where Viktor Orbán temporarily left the room to allow member states to reach a unanimous decision on opening negotiations for Ukraine’s EU accession. ‘Sometimes, we need a little creativity,’ Costa added.
‘Viktor Orbán has been a highly constructive politician in recent years, shaping his positions based on Hungary’s national interests’
During the interview, it was mentioned that Viktor Orbán, together with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, could ‘change the European Union,’ referencing the Eurosceptic views of both leaders. However, Costa remarked: ‘In the eight years I attended summits as Prime Minister of Portugal, there were many moments of significant divergence among the leaders. However, the most dramatic disputes were not with Orbán or Meloni, but between other members of the Council.’
A Frequent Visitor in Budapest
Orbán and Costa share a longstanding relationship, with the former Portuguese prime minister having visited Budapest on several occasions. Most recently, Costa travelled to the Hungarian capital on 1 October for a meeting with Orbán. Their discussions focused on the programme of Hungary’s EU Presidency and the future goals of the president-elect.
Prior to that, Costa visited Budapest on 31 May 2023, where he attended the UEFA Europa League final between Sevilla and AS Roma with Orbán. The visit sparked criticism in Portugal, as it was not listed among the prime minister’s official engagements, and Costa used a state plane for the trip.
Defending his actions, António Costa explained that he had been invited to the final in an official capacity by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, which entitled him to use the plane for the unexpected detour. The Portuguese PM was originally en route to Moldova but made the stopover in Budapest along the way.
Costa’s nomination as President of the European Council was decided by EU leaders in June, following the European Parliament elections. Viktor Orbán supported Costa’s candidacy, while Giorgia Meloni was the only one among the 27 EU leaders to vote against it.
Related articles:
