Six months ago, many questioned whether Hungary could fulfil the role of ‘honest broker’ required for the EU Presidency. Now, as the semester concludes, it is evident that Budapest has delivered one of the most successful and memorable presidencies in the history of the European Union.
The Justice and Home Affairs Council of the European Union, under the Hungarian presidency, has agreed on the general approach to have EU Member States better align their criminal laws on migrant smuggling. Out of the 380,00 illegal border crossings recorded in 2023, about 90 per cent were facilitated by smugglers, according to Europol.
Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó was critical of his counterparts in other EU Member States for still pushing for arms supplies instead of negotiating a ceasefire, in a Facebook post he shared as he set off to attend the last EU Foreign Ministers’ meeting of the Hungarian EU presidency. Earlier, he also revealed in a radio interview that President Zelenksyy of Ukraine refused to have a phone conversation with PM Orbán.
‘The leaders and politicians of our continent need to acknowledge a reality that the average European citizen has already discovered, namely, that Europe is on a dangerous path that will lead to total geopolitical irrelevancy and economic misery.’
The EU’s AI Act fails to protect human rights effectively, Hungarian experts argue in a new multidisciplinary book. Highlighting legal, media, and societal perspectives, the authors critique current regulations and explore AI’s growing impact on society and governance.
Viktor Orbán has been a highly constructive politician in recent years, shaping his positions around Hungary’s national interests, incoming President of the European Council Antonio Costa said in a recent interview. The former Portuguese prime minister has known Orbán for many years and is a frequent visitor to Budapest.
Hungary’s EU presidency, despite facing unjust criticism, stands as a testament to courage and determination, said Maurizio Gasparri, leader of Italy’s Forza Italia Senate faction, during a concert in Rome held in honour of the Hungarian presidency, dedicated to fostering peace and harmony among the nations.
‘Indeed, the cases in which the Open Society Foundation litigates, either directly or indirectly through a representative, are the result of a conscious selection: they are chosen according to their expected political and legal impact and only launched in specific countries. This is how the OSF—and the several NGOs it mobilizes—usually bring cases against Central and Eastern European countries, such as Romania, Slovenia, Poland, or Hungary.’
‘I am proud to say that Bulgaria is a multicultural, multi-ethnic and extremely tolerant society. Being the oldest state in Europe and having the oldest inhabited city in Europe, Plovdiv, only shows for how long this society has been preserved. At the same time, we are extremely cautious and sensitive concerning the subjects of tradition, values, religion, family, and homeland. We have kept our borders safe, just like our friends in Hungary.’
‘Europe must break out of this echo chamber, find its place in its relationship with Asia, and recognize that it is part of the Eurasian region. It must leverage all the advantages this position offers, because without doing so, we cannot compete with other global power centres,’ Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán warned at the Eurasia Forum in Budapest.