Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orbán issued a strong message following the European People’s Party (EPP) congress in Zagreb, warning that recent proposals could reduce national decision-making power within the European Union. In a Facebook post, Orbán emphasized the importance of preserving Hungary as an “island of peace.”
The Prime Minister wrote
Important decisions were made at the EPP Zagreb summit…. they want to abolish the member states’ veto rights, and even more importantly, they want to turn the EU into a military alliance.
Orbán claimed that the EPP sees the Hungarian government—which stands for national interests—as an obstacle. “If the Tisza wins, then all of Brussels’ plans will get the green light,” he added.
The PM urged citizens to restrain the Tisza operation in April:
Let us say no to the war in Ukraine in our neighborhood, and let us say no to Tisza incitement at home!…. Hungary is an island of peace. Let’s keep it that way.
The EPP summit in Zagreb produced a proposal with major consequences for how the EU works. Party leaders Manfred Weber and German chancellor Friedrich Merz argued openly for ending national veto rights and expanding majority voting—especially in foreign and security policy.
In practice, this would favour the EU’s biggest states—above all Germany, the bloc’s most populous country and one of its most influential players.
