“What can we see today in Ukraine, in Europe? The war is raging. There are serious conflicts devastating the Middle East and Africa, and each conflict risks escalation. Then there’s the migration crisis, numerous threats, and the risk of the Schengen Area collapsing. Meanwhile, Europe is losing global competitiveness, according to Mario Draghi. Europe is facing a slow agony,” said Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, speaking at the European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg to outline the priorities of Hungary’s EU presidency.
“The most important thing is that our Union needs change, and the presidency aims to be the catalyst for this change,” he added. “Decisions must be made by the Member States and EU institutions, not by the Hungarian presidency. The Hungarian presidency will raise issues and problems and make proposals. For Europe’s peace and prosperity.”
“EU productivity is growing at a slower pace than our competitors, and our share in global trade is declining. Companies are paying energy prices 2 to 3 times higher than in the United States, and 4 to 5 times higher when it comes to natural gas. Moreover, the move away from Russian energy sources has jeopardized the EU’s GDP growth,” Orban continued. “According to the Hungarian presidency, we should not fall into the illusion that the green transition is in itself a solution to this problem. It is not.
