Hungary has vetoed the European Union’s joint statement regarding missile attacks on Israel
According to Mr. Laschet, a candidate for German chancellor, this is another reason for the necessity to switch from a unanimous vote to a majority vote for decisions on matters of European Union foreign policy. Today, a common foreign policy decision can only be made unanimously, while Laschet prefers the will of the majority to be imposed upon the minority in the future. All of this in the name of Europeanism. According to the treaties of the Union, full agreement is needed on important issues such as foreign policy. Hungary, therefore, acted in accordance with the basic treaty when it vetoed. To accuse Hungary of being non-European because it exercised its right set forth in the treaty, is in fact deeply non-European.
The states of the Franco-German axis are known to have millions of Muslim citizens whose views cannot be neglected in a democracy. But it also must be taken into account that in Central Europe, the territory of the Visegrad Four — including Hungary — only a negligible number of such citizens live. We can also see that most western European countries have entered an era of a post-national and post-Christian concept of life. But it cannot be ignored that we still live our lives according to Judeo-Christian values, a Judeo-Christian culture and concept of life. It is, therefore, clear to us that it is not possible to equate a state, Israel, with an organization on the EU sanctions list. It is not possible even if President Laschet, on behalf of the Franco-German axis, regards this as the correct EU foreign policy. It is high time to finally acknowledge that Central European countries, which joined the Union later, are nevertheless equal members of the community of the European Union. We also have the right to stand up for our beliefs, our allies, and our own interests.
Viktor Orbán
Prime minister of Hungary
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Translation provided by the International Communications Office of the Hungarian government.
