Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán delivered a speech to the European Parliament as part of Hungary’s rotating presidency, sparking anger among EU lawmakers.
The European Union needs to change, and I would like to convince you about that today.
He said an escalation of conflict in the Middle East would lead to a “migration crisis” that could result in the Schengen open borders system “falling apart.”
“Our union needs to change, and the presidency wants to be the catalyst for this change.”
Despite jeering from left-wing lawmakers before his speech, EU parliamentarians listened calmly. Only towards the end, when the anthem Bella Ciao sounded, they got animated. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola called the meeting to order.
This is not Eurovision.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who called on top EU officials to boycott meetings organised by the Hungarian presidency, also criticised Orbán after his remarks.
“This is not fighting illegal migration in Europe. This is just throwing problems over your neighbour’s fence.”
One of the leaders of the Green Bloc, Terry Reintke, reacted much more harshly.
You are not welcome here; this is the house of European democracy.
EU lawmakers also lambasted him for his trip to Moscow, saying it was not a peace mission, but propaganda.
Facing criticism from other EU members, Orbán has repeatedly pointed to the recent successes of national-oriented parties in France, the Netherlands and eastern Germany as evidence that his way of thinking is becoming more popular.
