Speeches

Dear Madam President, In addition to a number of bad decisions, one of the biggest mistakes of the outgoing Commission was the pushing through of the migration pact. Instead of the old bad solutions, we need to stop illegal migration, effective external border protection, the processing of immigrant applications outside Europe, cooperation with countries of origin and transit, and effective pushbacks. Otherwise, uncontrolled mass migration will destroy Europe and Schengen free movement. There is a migration crisis, and more and more leaders in the Member States are rebelling against flawed decisions. Germany introduces internal border controls and Poland suspends the application of EU migration rules. Since 2015, the Hungarian government has been advocating and taking action to strengthen external border protection and stop illegal immigrants, but we have only been penalised for this. It is scandalous and unworthy that the European Commission is punishing Hungary with 200 million euros for protecting Europe's external borders. While they quietly agree that the protection of external borders is an obligation, it is not a crime. What a duplicity! What a hypocracy! That's true. The Italian Interior Minister Salvini, who has been threatened with six years in prison, is also unacceptable. Forcing illegal migration is tearing the EU apart, disrupting European cooperation, and Member States must therefore be given the opportunity to opt out of the flawed Brussels policy. Throw aside the bad migration pact and stop the punishments imposed on Hungary!

Dear Madam President, This was the culmination of the hypocracy, unworthy of the President of the Commission. Dear Prime Minister, I am pleased to welcome you here today, Prime Minister of the Patriots, on behalf of the third largest faction, the Patriots. This is a historic moment. You seem to be annoying Mr. Weber. The creation of the Patriots stemmed from the demand expressed by voters in June for change. The priorities of the Hungarian Presidency reflect the common sense policy that Europe so desperately needs today. Dear Prime Minister, Europe is in a worse position than it has been in decades, and I regret that the President of the Commission campaigned against a government instead of talking about them. That European peace is in danger, that our hour is ticking to stop illegal migration and the decline of European competitiveness. We therefore welcome the Budapest Competitiveness Pact, because it would counterbalance a series of erroneous decisions in Brussels that threaten European prosperity. We welcome the proposal for Schengen summits that would safeguard free movement in the Schengen area. Today, with its misguided migration policy, Brussels is destroying precisely this most fundamental achievement. Protecting our external borders requires support, not outrageous punishment. We welcome any initiative to end the bloodshed in Ukraine, leading to communication, a ceasefire and peace. We reject all false attacks against Hungary and our Hungarian Prime Minister. Instead of a campaign of hatred, you, my fellow Members, should be shouting for peace, security and prosperity in Europe. Parliament's biggest act in months has been to enforce the "cordon sanitaire" against the patriotic right. Quite a disgraceful result! We Patriots are proud that our Prime Minister has a realistic assessment of the situation, states that Europe is in trouble and has concrete proposals for solutions. Prime Minister, you can count on the Patriot faction, you can count on voters all over Europe.

Dear Madam President, Although we have recovered physically, mentally and mentally we are still hostages of Hamas since 7 October. I quote the wife of a hostage whose husband, along with hundreds of other innocent Israelis, was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists. I personally met the relatives of the hostages, the survivors of the horror. It was shocking to hear their stories. The immediate release of the hostages still in captivity is a priority. As we mourn the victims, we sympathize with their families and stand with Israel. The Jewish people have not suffered such a tragedy since the Holocaust as they did a year ago on October 7. Israel has the right to self-defence and the dismantling of terrorist organizations. Hamas' attack on Israel has sparked a humanitarian catastrophe that now threatens the stability of the entire Middle East region. A year ago, we were also confronted with the fact that, with mass immigration, Europe also imported the rise of anti-Semitism. This has become particularly visible on the streets of Western Europe since last year's Hamas attack. Anti-Semitic atrocities have intensified, and demonstrations celebrating terrorist Hamas have become commonplace. Our position is clear. We condemn all forms of anti-Semitism. Hungary is therefore an island of peace for Jews in Europe today.

Madam President, as the nominal composition of the delegations will be announced today, I take this occasion to express the wish of my group that the delegations will have bureaus that reflect the composition of Parliament. For the bureaus of the committees, this is not the case, contrary to Rules 34 and 219. I ask you, Madam President, pursuant to Rule 22(2) of the Rules of Procedure, to see to it that the rules are being respected and applied – not only with regard to the delegations, but also with regard to the committees.

Madam President, I'm sorry. I would like to congratulate professional volunteers for soldiers who are fit for duty on dams, in flooded areas, in towns and villages. Thank you for that. We are facing an unprecedented flood in Central Europe, unprecedented in decades. Hungary is now awaiting a peak, which is why our Prime Minister also had to cancel his participation in today's plenary session. Nowadays it is most needed at home, because in Hungary flood protection takes place on 540 kilometers, and the highest level of preparedness is reached on 200 kilometers. This is the hardest part of the defense. In this situation, we need to work together and get quick and effective help from the EU. That is why we welcome the swift reaction and immediate activation of the EU crisis response mechanism by the Hungarian Presidency-in-office. This will allow particularly affected countries to coordinate their defence efforts. It is now up to the European Commission to use all possible means and financial support to effectively help protect against flooding. We call for the possibility of all kinds of bureaucratic and other unconditional disbursement of European Union Solidarity Fund funds. This is what the EP resolution should be focusing on right now. What is needed right now is not medium- and long-term climate proposals that are difficult to implement, but concrete, quick and effective help. Central Europe and Hungary are now defending against water as one person. Thousands of soldiers, professionals and volunteers are on the dams now, we need help from the EU institutions and we need to be with them in our hearts.

Madam President, I'm sorry. Today, Europe is weaker than it was five years ago. I will list the decisions that the President of the Commission has taken against the interests of European citizens. It is not taking concrete steps for peace as Europe drifts ever closer to war. He pushed through a bad migration pact instead of protecting the external borders. He did not protect our children by forcing gender ideology. Its policy of a poison-green green deal has harmed European farmers and weakened Europe's competitiveness. He has concluded vaccine contracts that are suspected of corruption, he has amplified the overgrowth of the Brussels bureaucracy, he has weakened it and, as we have heard, he plans to further weaken the sovereignty of the Member States. He used the rule of law and EU money owed to Hungary as political blackmail. It has made the application of double standards the main rule against democratically elected governments. As part of his campaign, he used the EU institutions to exert pressure by boycotting the Hungarian Presidency. This has harmed European cooperation. For all these reasons, we patriots in the interest of Europe will not support von der Leyen in today's vote. We need a change at last.

Madam President, it’s an honour to speak on behalf of the new Patriots for Europe Group for the first time in the European Parliament. Political violence has no place in our societies. Parliament must condemn all forms of political violence, including those that are directed against sovereignist, patriotic politicians. We must condemn in the strongest terms the assassination attempt against US former president and presidential candidate Donald Trump. Therefore, we request to add a statement of Parliament based on Rule 167 for Wednesday, today, at 15:00, with the title ‘Assassination attempt against former US president and presidential candidate Donald Trump, and the rise of political violence in Europe.’ We also request a resolution to be voted on in the September part-session. Let me say that the voting behaviour of yesterday of political groups, due to some shameless pacts among themselves, banning the Patriots from parliamentary positions they are entitled to is disrespect to 18 million voters, disrespect of democracy of Parliament and its own rules, the rule of law. It will backfire on all of us.

Mr. President, please. We strongly condemn Iran's missile attack on Israel. This risks turning the Middle East into a war zone, a war between states, posing a serious threat to Europe's security. The most important thing now is to prevent the situation from getting worse. It is in everyone's interest that this conflict does not set the whole region on fire. This requires restraint on the part of all parties. Hungary is committed to Israel's security and promotes stability in the region in international forums. An extensive war would trigger a wave of migration towards Europe with disastrous consequences. It is therefore urgent, inter alia, to address the situation in Lebanon and the Syrian refugee issue. Just as it is in the Union's strategic interest to maintain a safe environment in the Mediterranean. Peace and stability in the Middle East, as well as peace in our neighbourhood as soon as possible, are the cornerstones of the security of Europe and of our country. We are therefore on the side of peace.

Madam President, please. The migration policy imposed by the Brussels mainstream has clearly failed. Migrants are becoming increasingly violent and most of them remain illegally in Europe. The Brussels bureaucracy and the European left, however, learn nothing from their mistakes. In fact, by pushing through the current bad migration package, it is making the situation worse. Hungary rejects this migration pact in the strongest possible terms, as the introduction of a mandatory solidarity distribution mechanism and the establishment of migrant camps would only be an invitation for millions of illegal immigrants and criminal smuggling organisations. Instead, we need to stop illegal migration. A successful example is the Hungarian model, which prevents illegal immigrants from entering its territory by means of physical and legal border closures. Hungary will not be an immigrant country. In the face of mass migration, we must protect our borders and stick to ourselves so that we can determine with whom we live together. This will also be the stakes of the election.

Mr. President, please. The European Council, at its next meeting, should address the situation of European agriculture. This is not a policy issue, it is not a support issue, but a much more important strategic issue that will determine the European economy and people's lives in the long term. It is also of strategic importance that Europe assumes greater responsibility for safeguarding our security. This is why Hungary supports the strengthening of the European defence policy and the defence industry. This should build on a European defence industrial base and play a decisive role in the next institutional cycle. Reflecting this in structures and budgets. It is also essential for Europe's security to stop illegal immigration at the external borders. Peace must finally come to the fore in the context of the war in Ukraine. A truce leading to peace talks. We condemn Russia's aggression and stand up for the territorial integrity of Ukraine. We are helping Ukraine beyond strength with humanitarian means, and we are convinced that the war must be brought to an end as soon as possible and not broadened. Only peace can end the destruction.

Mr. President, please. We sympathize with the members of the Navalny family and agree that the circumstances of his death should be investigated. We stand up for human dignity. Rest in peace. The war in Ukraine has been going on for more than two years and the end is not visible. Our position is clear from the outset: We condemn Russia’s military aggression and stand up for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. We stand by the Ukrainian refugees. We have taken in more than 1.3 million Ukrainian refugees. The longer the war lasts, the more damage and human sacrifice will be caused. We are convinced that only peace can end this destruction.

Mr. President, please. We live in dramatic times. Europe needs stability, peace and prosperity. That is why we support the common defence policy, as well as initiatives to strengthen the European defence industry, and this will also be our priority during our EU Presidency, the Hungarian Presidency. It is regrettable that the biennial report now under discussion is ideologically based, rather than trying to reverse the deterioration of the Union's competitiveness. He is unjustly attacking the Enlargement Commissioner for ideological reasons, although he should be commended for the impetus given to enlargement policy. Accelerating the integration of the Western Balkans is a fundamental strategic interest of the EU. We oppose the proposals for qualified majority voting, because it would severely limit the sovereignty of the Member States, and the repeated political attacks on Hungary are unacceptable, as we consistently condemn the Russian aggression and support and assist Ukraine with humanitarian means. But we stand on the side of peace and stand by the need to end the devastation in our neighbourhood as soon as possible through peace talks instead of war rhetoric and arms deliveries.

Dear Mr President, Our position is clear and unchanged. We strongly condemn the brutal terrorist attack by Hamas. Israel has the right to self-defense and dismantle terrorist organizations. The release of all hostages and the possibility for the International Red Cross to have access to these hostages must be a priority in all circumstances. Events in the Middle East are taking an increasingly worrying direction, and this is exactly what terrorist organisations are trying to achieve. Hamas must stop using civilians as human shields. Further escalation of the situation should be avoided. In order to avoid a humanitarian crisis, it is of paramount importance that aid reaches the civilian population in need. At the same time, these aids should not fall into the hands of terrorist organisations. We support negotiations between the countries of the region in order to avoid a regional war. We must reaffirm our mutual commitment to the fight against antisemitism here in Europe and also to avoid escalation in the region.

Dear Madam President, Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. Commissioner. The Belgian Presidency's priority must be a ceasefire and peace talks as soon as possible in order to achieve a lasting, just peace in Ukraine. Financial assistance to Ukraine is essential, but it should not be provided through joint borrowing. First, it is necessary to clarify how much money and what the EU has spent in Ukraine since the outbreak of the war. Due to the state of war, it is impossible to plan for four years in advance, so it is worth reviewing the support annually. It's different. The consequences of the misguided Brussels migration policy are being suffered by innocent people on the streets of Western Europe, and we see the rise of anti-Semitism. The forced migration pact is actually part of the problem. We need a radical change. It is also time for this Presidency to put an end to the double standards of the rule of law. The fact that Hungary is regularly, unjustifiably, presented as a problem, while the real violations taking place in Warsaw are being overlooked. The overheated, Hungarophobic attacks do not harm our country, but destroy the Union. There must be a change in June when the sovereignist side puts an end to this hypocrisy.

Madam President, I'm sorry. On the issue of opening accession negotiations with Ukraine, there is no unity among the Member States today. Decisions of this magnitude should be made only after proper preparation and not under political pressure. The accession of a state of Ukraine's size and economic, political and security status would have serious consequences for the economies of the Union as a whole, Hungary and the Member States. On the other hand, enlargement policy must be an objective process based on uniform conditionality and performance. Ukraine does not fulfil the minimum conditions set by the Commission, including the guarantee of national minority rights, instead of the promises. So you're not ready to start the trial. For the Western Balkan countries, there has been no progress on accession for years on this basis. There is no room for double standards in enlargement policy. The European Council, the European Commission, send positive signals to Ukraine. It is committed, but with different signals than the opening of accession negotiations now. A hasty decision taken under purely political pressure, without consulting the citizens, will only further destroy the unity of the Union.

Dear Madam President, Welcome to another episode of the anti-Hungary soap opera. I've been fighting for 14 years against the third-class series, in which every season is getting weaker. It is untrue and contains neither facts nor truth in crumbs. They don't care who makes them or orders them. It is political blackmail to bring Hungary to its knees because we are on the side of peace. We resist, we oppose illegal migration, we protect our children from gender ideology. The Luxembourg Commissioner has said that our Child Protection Act is an obstacle to agreeing on EU funds. The Hungarian left, funded from abroad, applauds the fact that the stakes have been raised: to prevent the rightful payment of money, to frustrate the role of the EU Presidency, and thus to punish the Hungarian people. We are defending our sovereignty. Enough of the increasingly absurd anti-Hungarian campaign being built as a house of cards. As many people across Europe expect, change is needed and will happen next June. Hands off Hungary!

Madam President, please. Enlargement of the European Union is in our strategic and geopolitical interest. Enlargement is not just a political issue. The situation of countries facing accession negotiations should be judged on the basis of their preparedness and a uniform set of requirements. Before starting new accession negotiations, the EU must first deliver on its promises to the Western Balkans, including Serbia, as negotiations with Serbia have been ongoing for more than ten years without significant progress. This discredits the Union. In order to maintain our credibility, Georgia must also be granted candidate status. New accession negotiations can only be opened with countries that fulfil the basic conditions set by the Commission. The enlargement proposal presented today – and I congratulate the Commissioner for that – shows that Ukraine has not yet fulfilled 4 of the 7 conditions, including the minority protection conditions. There's a war going on in his area, and he can't even hold elections. All these demonstrate that the country is not yet ready to start accession negotiations.

Dear Mr President, Mr Vice-President, I condemn the brutal terror of Hamas. Israel has a right to self-defense, and I have sympathy for those who suffer. Brussels must now clarify how Hamas could have used EU funds for these terrorist purposes. No EU funds can be channelled indirectly to terrorist organisations. That is why I support the position of Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi. Now the priority is to prevent the escalation of conflict. An interstate war in the region would trigger another wave of migration towards Europe, and Islamic terrorists would mingle with illegal immigrants. The consequences of this misguided migration policy are now being suffered by innocent people on the streets of Western Europe. Pro-terrorist protests, terrorist threats, deadly terrorist attacks. A radical change in European migration policy is finally needed. The current migration pact is bad. I propose the immediate suspension of your further trial. Further terrorist attacks in Europe must be prevented. Illegal immigration must be stopped.

Mr President, today’s debate is a serious and unacceptable attempt of external interference in the Polish electoral process, contrary to the principles of democracy and national sovereignty. If it had been the real matter – anyway an exaggerated and constructed case – this debate could have easily been postponed for the next plenary session in two weeks, after the Polish elections. In this way, it rather seems that the aim is to try to bring to heel the sovereign conservative Polish Government for standing up strong against illegal migration, for refusing to accept a mandatory migrants quota, and for defending national sovereignty. This is what is not acceptable to Brussels and the pro-migration majority of this European Parliament, which supports with all means, therefore, Donald Tusk. Such attempts from this room have repeatedly proved unsuccessful in the case of Hungary. Neither Hungarian nor Polish voters want the fate of their country to be decided in Strasbourg or in Brussels. On 15 October, the Poles will have a good opportunity to give a strong response to this unacceptable pressure. Dalej, Polsko!

Madam President, I'm sorry. The current geopolitical context calls for an approach that is sensitive to the complex problems of the Western Balkans. By contrast, the report on Bosnia and Herzegovina is unbalanced. Instead of de-escalating tensions, it exacerbates conflicts. The Hungarian position demonstrates the need for dialogue based on mutual understanding instead of teaching and threatening with sanctions. This policy is justified by the fact that, through Hungarian intervention, two of the agreements concluded in the three Berlin processes can be accepted by the Bosnian Serbs. It is unacceptable that the left-wing majority in the European Parliament uses party interests in the report, for example when it criticises the presence of Hungarian companies, confusing them with Chinese companies outside the EU. It is also unworthy that this report is being used to attack the Enlargement Commissioner on an ideological basis, even though he is doing an outstanding job in the region, and I congratulate him on that. Substantial support for Bosnia and Herzegovina is needed, with the best means of accelerating the enlargement process. With this, we can pay tribute to the memory of the victims of Srebrenica and do our utmost to ensure that similar atrocities are never repeated.

Madam President, I'm sorry. In the context of this year’s Rule of Law Report, the Commission’s double standard is so obvious that it discredits the instrument itself and the process. Again, Brussels is educating the Member States in ideologically-based reports influenced by NGOs, instead of putting their own house in order first. It does not mean that Member States receive education, some Member States are constantly attacked for political reasons, withholding from them the EU money legally due to them. Meanwhile, we cannot find a single word in the Rule of Law Report about the rule of law problems of the Brussels institutions. However, the Brussels institutions are subject to serious corruption scandals. Perhaps these should be dealt with more, for example, the details of the scandalous vaccine purchase contracts. It is also time to give an answer to what the missing EU budget money has been spent on. The Commission's report is therefore completely unreliable. It is time for a snap response from the people of Europe in the 2024 elections.

Mr. President, please. The European Council has already made it clear on two occasions that decisions on migration issues can only be taken by consensus. At last week's meeting of home affairs ministers, the migration package was pushed through by a qualified majority in a coup d'état. This serious issue should definitely be on the agenda of the next Council. The agreed package includes a mandatory quota allocation, which will be re-interpreted as an invitation by millions of illegal immigrants. Member States that do not want to accept illegal migrants would be fined in a spirit of solidarity. This package is therefore not a solution to stop illegal migration or to reverse those who have arrived illegally. It would finally be necessary for the Union to say: irregular migration must be stopped, the protection of external borders strengthened and supported financially. Again, the Union does not learn from its own mistakes. Meanwhile, all indications point to an escalation of the war triggered by the Russian aggression. In order to avoid further destruction and save lives, a truce would be needed so that peace talks could begin, leading to lasting peace.

Mr. President, please. Lebanon has been facing an economic and political crisis for years. The state is practically not functioning, which is only made more difficult by the burden of providing care for millions of refugees. In the absence of action, as the lack of prospects increases, new waves of migration towards Europe may start. The Christian churches play an important role in the performance of the tasks of the education, social and health care systems barely operated by the state, therefore the European Commission must finally provide direct support to these Christian churches for this! That is why I am appealing to the Commission, because they can help now, and Europe can help with that. Hungary has been supporting the work of Christian communities in Lebanon for many years through the Hungary Helps programme. As a result, many religious, educational and cultural institutions have been regenerated and can contribute to the survival of this community in its homeland. Lebanon is a key country for Europe and we need to recognise that Europe has a role to play in crisis management. In order to avoid mass migration to Europe, it is necessary to help locally!

Madam President, I'm sorry. We were amazed at last week's news from Belgrade. It was unthinkable that such a tragedy could happen near us. My condolences to the families of innocent children and victims. Serbia is the region's main stabilising force and key country, and it is in Europe's interest to join as soon as possible. The country has been waiting for years for progress in the accession process and is striving to meet EU conditions. This is why the unusually provocative and critical report on Serbia is incomprehensible, which unsubstantiatedly attacks Hungary, almost attesting to Hungarophobia. Ideological criticism can fundamentally shake Serbia's prospects for integration, as well as confidence in the EU institutions. Instead of constructive cooperation, the European Parliament is destroying its relations with Serbia. Acceleration of accession negotiations is needed instead of strengthening geopolitical tensions. Just now, when the stability of the region has been particularly appreciated due to the Russian-Ukrainian war, the energy crisis and the migratory pressure.

Mr. President, please. We condemn human rights violations, violations of children's rights, war crimes and repeated violations of international law. No one can undo war crimes. The Hungarian position is clear from the beginning of the war. We condemn Russia's military aggression, violence, which is not only a serious violation of international law, but is also unjustifiable from a moral point of view. Hungary has always been based on international law, recognising Ukraine's right to self-defence and territorial sovereignty, and providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine, Transcarpathia. Now the most important thing is to save lives and help the suffering. This can only be guaranteed by peace in the face of a prolonged war. Therefore, a ceasefire is needed, negotiations must begin, in order to achieve a lasting, just peace. We reject inhumanity and injustice. War crimes must not go uninvestigated and unpunished. The truth must come out!