19 May 2014, Dabas

I would first of all like to wish everyone good afternoon. Thank you for coming. My gaze is searching for the Mayor; I would like to thank the Mayor, my fellow Member of Parliament from Kőszeg, for having been so kind as to invite me here. There are several reasons for my having come here. The first is that I would like to thank everyone for the staunch and devoted work you have performed over the past four years. And to whom it concerns, for the past eight years; for twelve to those who deserve twelve and for twenty for those who deserve twenty, because there are many people here with whom we did not set out on this course together yesterday. I would like to congratulate you for having found the correct answer at the election and for the fact that in the end we succeeded in accumulating so many votes that lead to a result which is unprecedented in Hungarian history; that following an election victory with a two-thirds majority we received a two-thirds mandate for a second time. This is a huge opportunity and of course a huge responsibility too.

The second reason I have come here today is that we are preparing for European Parliament elections. Today, Monday, is the first real day of the campaign. The elections will be on Sunday. I don't need to tell you that this election will occur somewhat differently, because as you all know there is no campaign silence. We learned all about this during the last parliamentary elections. But the reason we need to conduct a campaign now is that my experience is that even amongst our own followers not everyone sees the link between our own personal fate and the European elections clearly. The Hungarians have a tendency to think that Brussels is too far away and that things won't be decided there, but here at home. There may be much truth in that because things are decided here, but it is there that they can be blocked. And accordingly, dear people of Dabas, it makes a difference what kind of people we will be sending to Brussels. It will depend on the capabilities, knowledge, thinking, spirit and mentality of the people we send there whether our representatives in Brussels stand up for us and help to protect what we are doing, or will be of the kind who disregard the Hungarians and sometimes even betray us. Let us not send people of this kind to Brussels; let us send only people who will stand up for us. They will have the opportunity to discuss important issues there. We are all still to some extent enjoying our victory at the parliamentary elections. We feel like we have done everything we needed to do, don't we, and there is much truth in that. We can leave the rest to the Government for the next few, two or three, years. This is undoubtedly true, but there are nevertheless still a few things that we must fight for.

One such issue is the protection of Hungarian farmland, because the Land Act is already under attack in Brussels. The aim of the Hungarian Land Act is to ensure that farmland remains in Hungarian hands while adhering to EU regulations. It is a narrow path, but there is such a path and this is the path our legislation is treading on, but it must be protected, otherwise land could be pulled out from under the feet of Hungarian farmers. We will also have to protect the reduction of public utility prices because the people in Brussels are not happy about the fact that we are radically reducing utility costs and the price of energy step by step through state intervention and instruments. When in fact they shouldn't be holding us back, but instead all of Europe should step onto the path of radical energy price cuts, because otherwise we can close down our factories and close down our production units because we are not competitive and cannot compete with the Americans or with the Far East. But while we are convincing Brussels that we must all switch to using a different logic, we must protect everything that we have achieved here at home in this respect.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In addition to being a political issue, the European Parliament elections are also a crucial personal and family issue. I would ask that everyone go out to vote not just because they have an opinion on European issues, but also because this decision will have a direct affect on our work here in Hungary and on our successes here in Hungary and will be closely linked to that.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I encourage you to go out and vote. After which the next question is: if you're going out to vote, who should you vote for? I have a clear idea with regard to this issue. What I would like to suggest to you is that we all vote for those who have already proven themselves. I am not saying that the current Government is only made up of angels and I wouldn't dare claim that Fidesz operates perfectly, because we have no reason to think that and in fact we can and must improve our performance in several areas. But if we look at the choice we have in Hungary today and at who are those people, those political forces who understand Hungary, who know what the Hungarian people want and who have the courage and bravery to stand up for the Hungarians, then I have to say that the choice is relatively meagre. The choice available makes it clear that Fidesz and the Christian Democratic People's Party are the ones who are most capable of standing up for the interests of the Hungarian people today. And accordingly I would encourage you, just as you did on 6 April, to vote for the Fidesz and the Christian Democratic People's Party list on 25 May. I see there are few people here who need convincing of this.

I would also like to say a few words about who you should under no circumstances vote for. Not as if it is particularly enjoyable to campaign against somebody, but I would like to make it clear that there are some thoughts in circulation in public life today that pose a danger to Hungary. Decidedly extreme ideas that must not be allowed to gain ground. One of these thoughts, whose proponents have come forward openly, regards the fact that the thousand-year-old state of Hungary should come to an end and we should in its place establish a Untied States of Europe. I would like to indicate that Fidesz and its ally, the Christian Democratic People's Party, strongly oppose the giving up of Hungarian statehood and of Hungarian sovereignty. We need Hungary; this is our homeland. Europe is our home too, but Hungary is our homeland. It must remain as it has existed since the time of Saint Stephen. And so those trends that say Hungary should join the United States of Europe and that this is why we should send MEPs to Brussels, this idea and these political forces must be opposed, must be rejected, and must be pushed further out of Hungarian public life as extremist. This cannot be done through the power of the state. This can only be done by the voting public. And accordingly 25 May is also about whether we want to melt into a United States of Europe instead of keeping Hungary. I suggest that we say no. Do not vote for these forces.

And similarly, there is also another issue here, because there are forces that say that we should exit the European Union. I am opposed to this idea. If we look at the balance of things it is obvious that despite all the difficulties – protecting farmland, protecting the reduction of utility prices, acacia trees and so on – on balance, and especially in an economic sense, Hungary has now gained much more than it is losing by being a member of the European Union. Those who argue in favour of leaving the European Union are arguing against Hungarian national interests and against the plain, clear, simple and everyday financial interests of the Hungarian people. If we were to exit the European Union we would have to live at a much worse level than we are capable of maintaining our cities our families and our homes today. And accordingly I recommend that we should listen politely to those who argue in favour of exiting the European Union, but afterwards we should under no account vote for them, because the goal isn't to run our heads against the wall.

Neither cowering, nor falling in line, nor giving up Hungarian national traditions is in our interests, and neither is running our heads against a wall. If someone takes the time to think about Hungarian history a little, and I have already said this during the parliamentary campaign, then they will clearly see the truth in the joke according to which those who do not sit at the table shouldn't be surprised if they find themselves on the menu. And in light of Hungary's history this is absolutely true. If we are not there within the European Union then we cannot protect our interests. And so I would ask you to dismiss both extremes, both exiting the EU and the idea of a United States of Europe, and to vote for a European centre that stands on national foundations and nurtures European traditions; for the Fidesz a Christian Democratic People's Party alliance. This is what I ask of you.

As far as Hungary and the months ahead go, I will not say too much now, because I will soon be back for the local government elections, when we will be hammering the third and last nail in to enable us to say that we have completed our task. But, Ladies and Gentlemen, what I can tell you is that Hungary is looking ahead to a great era. I am aware of the many difficulties with which a significant proportion of Hungarian families are struggling, but we are looking ahead to four years which, if we use them well, could go into the history books of the Hungarian economy as a period of growth and prosperity for Hungary. We have a two-thirds majority, we have a clear programme, we have begun the task and the people have voted for continuation; we are capable of incorporating European Union funding into the economic system well, there is active cooperation with the national bank; I believe we will have an excellent Minister of Economy, as Mihály Varga will continue his work, and then I believe we will have an excellent economic policy over the next four years that is capable of creating jobs, of improving people's standard of living and that supports families, and which can achieve excellent and spectacular results. The Government, or rather the Ministers, will be occupying their posts on 6 June, and then it will be time for the local government elections at which you will be voting for a Mayor and local government representatives for a period of five years. And if we are through this at the beginning of October, then we will finally be able to say that the political season is over, and from then on the work will be all we have left to do; everyday work in the interests of bettering the country.

I would like to once again thank everyone for supporting us. And thank you also for the support that you have given me personally. I promise you that I will do my best to express my gratitude through my work. God bless you all!

Go, Hungary! Go, Hungarians!

(Prime Minister’s Office)