“Hungary won’t abandon its sovereignty” President Tamás Sulyok, declared in Brdo pri Kranju, Slovenia, on Monday. He said the European community of independent nation-states was currently guaranteed by the basic treaties.
After an informal meeting of the heads of state of the countries neighbouring Slovenia, President Sulyok told a press conference that Hungary was opposed to federalism, an idea which was encroaching on European politics more and more, and could lead to an “enfeebling Europe”. He said developing and politically stable central Europe, Hungary included, was a motor of the EU with its own ideas, strategies, and solutions. The bloc, he added, was “united in diversity”, and, “respecting this principle”, this was the community that Hungary had joined. “We hold that our various opinions on Europe unite rather than divide us, and Europe’s strength is based on dialogue,” he said, adding that Hungarians were “open to all discussions”. Meanwhile, Sulyok said Hungary was carrying out the largest humanitarian mission in its history in Ukraine, adding that Hungary stood by Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and Hungary had condemned Russian military aggression from the outset. But, Sulyok added, any steps leading to the war’s escalation or prolongation must be avoided, and Hungary would do its utmost to ensure that the EU and NATO “do not become part of the conflict”.
Also, the president said Hungary firmly condemns the terrorist attacks of Hamas and supports Israel’s right to self-defence. Stability in the Middle East, he said, was in Europe’s interest, and the EU must play its part in quickly resolving the conflict.
On the topic of the environment, Sulyok said climate change was among “the most urgent challenges of our time”, to which Hungary attached great importance. But financially hard-pressed citizens should not have to pay the price of climate policy; neither should businesses be overburdened either financially or by legal red tape. Regarding Hungary’s upcoming EU presidency, Sulyok expressed Hungary’s commitment to EU expansion, adding that as many accession chapters should be opened up as possible during its six months at the EU helm. He noted that a summit involving the EU and Western Balkans will be held at the start of November.
Addressing the issue of criticism of Hungary, he said various EU member states had widely diverging opinions regarding the constitutional order of member states in relation to EU laws, adding that the EU treaties upheld values, principles and goals that were rooted in the constitutional order of member states rather than being independent of them. The president added that common values had been clouded by “biased judgment”, and he called for a return to the original roles and powers contained in the treaties instead of the pursuit of political conflicts over values. President Nataša Pirc Musar held the regional summit to mark the 20th anniversary of Slovenia’s EU membership, with Sulyok, Sergio Mattarella of Italy, Alexander Van der Bellen of Austria and Zoran Milanović of Croatia in attendance.