Peter Magyar affirms Hungary's connection to Europe after the Orban era

O peter Magyar's speech, during the national feast marking the 70th anniversary of the 1956 anti-Soviet uprising, brutally crushed by Moscow tanks, clearly contrasted with those of nationalist Viktor Orbán, his predecessor, who was close to the Kremlin regularly took advantage of this ceremony to attack Brussels and compare the European Union to the Soviet Union.

“Hungary is not a “country refuge”, it cannot drift indefinitely between the East and the West. In 1956, the Hungarian people made a clear choice: we belong to a free and democratic Europe,” Peter Magyar said before the crowd gathered in front of Parliament, where a sea of national flags floated.

“ We want to be reliable allies, able to sit at the table with our heads held high, not opportunists who isolate themselves through blackmail and follow a separate path,” the pro-European conservative added.

For the celebrations, Hungary received EU leaders, prime ministers and other foreign dignitaries from more than 40 countries.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, spoke at a solemn session of Parliament boycotted by the opposition, including the Fidesz party of Viktor Orbán.

“Hungary never left the EU, our government did. We finally recovered our country (...)”, he defended in statements to the French news agency AFP Attila Rothi, a 'trader' of 56 years.

Veronika, a 68-year-old retired woman who refused to give her last name, also believes that Hungary belongs “to this space”.

“Therefore, we should find our place within this community, even if it means making criticism. And I think Magyar is doing just that,” he said, citing Ukraine’s funding or migration policy, two issues on which Peter Magyar, who came to power in May, adopted the same firm position as his predecessor. “But let’s be constructive, not hostile,” he added.