In Berlin, Hungary’s Prime Minister said Germany has undergone a strong transformation over the past ten years.
During a visit to Berlin on Friday, June 21, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán asserted Germany has transformed into a “colourful, multicultural world” mainly because “hundreds of thousands” of migrants have “granted citizenship on a fast-track basis.” Last year, Berlin received 334,000 asylum applications, more than any other country in the European Union.
The Hungarian leader, strongly opposed to immigration, was due to meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz later on Friday when Hungary takes over the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union on 1 July. According to Orbán, improving the demographic situation in Europe is among the main goals of Hungary’s upcoming EC presidency. He wishes the governments could assist each other in increasing family support. The Prime Minister said:
If I compare this Germany with the Germany of 10 years ago, it doesn’t even look the same. It no longer smells the same. It is a colourful, changed multicultural world in which migrants coming in are no longer guests in this country.
Nevertheless, the Hungarian prime minister told Hungarian public meadia the talks focused on European issues and bilateral relations between Berlin and Budapest, noting that bilateral trade was at a record high last year, exceeding €70 billion, with a quarter of Hungarian exports going to Germany. Orbán said German companies employ 250,000-300,000 Hungarians, mostly in the automotive industry, and Hungary is one of only three countries in the world where all three major German carmakers are present.
Hungary has a special role in the operation of Germany’s industry, and we expect jolos, economic growth and tax revenues from them, this is the backbone of Germany-Hungary relations, according to Orbán.
EU competitiveness shall improve and Hungary is ready to prepare a plan that can improve competitiveness. There are ongoing negotiations with other member states on this, he added. The objective is that instead of isolating and reacting to global changes, Europe should expand its economic ties and strengthen its network of relations around the world. Instead of closing down, Brussels should be ready to compete.
Orbán has publicised his country’s hard line on migration, claiming to have “preserved… an island of peace” in Hungary. On top of that, earlier this month Hungary faced a €200 million fine from the EU Supreme Court, which also imposed a daily fine of one million euros for failing to comply with the bloc’s asylum laws and illegally deporting migrants.
