Hungarian PM Annual Speech Kicks Off Election Campaign

Saturday afternoon, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán gave his annual assessment speech at Várkert Bazaar in Budapest ahead of the April elections. He mainly spoke about what he considers the achievements of his government and claimed that the opposition “attacked the country.”

The prime minister described the pandemic as a test of strength, which put everyone under pressure, but parliament sat throughout, giving the government the leeway it needed to successfully defend itself and at the same time keeping the situation under control, he said.

If there is a Russian-Ukrainian war, there could be millions of refugees from Ukraine, which would fundamentally redraw the map of Hungary, he said claiming that “we have to defend our homeland because no one else will do it for us, which is why the military industry is being developed.”

He was of the view that the price freezes [of fuel and certain food items] worked, and he announced that the official price of fuel will remain for another three months. This means that until 15 May, petrol and gas oil cannot be sold at pumps for more than HUF 480 per liter. He claimed that the Hungarian health and pharmaceutical industries would be fully armed to face another pandemic.

Speaking of his political opposition ahead of the April 3 elections, the PM claimed the left – and Péter Márki-Zay [the prime minister candidate of the united opposition] disrespect people in the countryside, “they want to sell the story of the organization of the population, but the Hungarians will not buy it,” he said.

In reaction to this speech, the opposition parties called it “cheap standup comedy.” Péter Márki-Zay said “he talked a lot about me, but not much about the real problems of the country. It happened as I suspected: empty rhetoric, confused images, word flowers.

And if he really meant everything he said, he should be willing to stand up and have a debate with me."

On Saturday afternoon, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán gave his annual assessment speech at Várkert Bazaar ahead of the April elections. He mainly spoke about what he considers the achievements of his government and claimed that the opposition “attacked the country.”

The prime minister described the pandemic as a test of strength, which put everyone under pressure, but parliament sat throughout, giving the government the leeway it needed to successfully defend itself and at the same time keeping the situation under control, he said.

If there is a Russian-Ukrainian war, there could be millions of refugees from Ukraine, which would fundamentally redraw the map of Hungary, he said claiming that “we have to defend our homeland because no one else will do it for us, which is why the military industry is being developed.”

He was of the view that the price freezes [of fuel and certain food items] worked, and he announced that the official price of fuel will remain for another three months. This means that until 15 May, petrol and gas oil cannot be sold at pumps for more than HUF 480 per liter. He claimed that the Hungarian health and pharmaceutical industries would be fully armed to face another pandemic.

Speaking of his political opposition ahead of the April 3 elections, the PM claimed the left – and Péter Márki-Zay [the prime minister candidate of the united opposition] disrespect people in the countryside, “they want to sell the story of the organization of the population, but the Hungarians will not buy it,” he said.

In reaction to this speech, the opposition parties called it “cheap standup comedy.” Péter Márki-Zay said “he talked a lot about me, but not much about the real problems of the country. It happened as I suspected: empty rhetoric, confused images, word flowers. And if he really meant everything he said, he should be willing to stand up and have a debate with me."