Prime Minister Viktor Orb谩n said that 95 percent of voters who took part in the government鈥檚 Vote 2025 referendum rejected Ukraine鈥檚 European Union accession.
Speaking ahead of a summit of EU leaders, the prime minister said a total of 2,284,732 votes were cast, of which 2,168,431 opposed Ukraine鈥檚 accession to the bloc. This means 95 percent were against giving Ukraine EU membership and 5 percent were in favour, he added.
PM Orb谩n said he had arrived at the summit 鈥渨ith a strong mandate鈥. 鈥淚 can speak with a firmer, manlier voice, because after all, I will be representing more than 2 million Hungarians at the talks when I say that Hungary is not in favour of Ukraine鈥檚 EU accession,鈥 he said.
Asked if he believed it was possible that the other member states may ignore Hungary, with 25 or 26 of them adopting a statement in connection with Ukraine鈥檚 EU membership, Orban said Hungary could not be ignored because a unanimous decision would be needed at the end of and during the accession process.
But right now, he said, there was no consensus on Ukraine, and the EU could not approve a decision that had a legal effect on Ukraine鈥檚 membership. 鈥淭here can be statements and discussions, but the European Union will not adopt a joint position because Hungary doesn鈥檛 support it,鈥 the prime minister said. 鈥淏ut those that disagree with us 鈥 can say whatever they want because they have the freedom to do that here as well.鈥
In response to another question, PM Orb谩n said that if the EU admitted Ukraine, it would also 鈥渋ntegrate the war鈥, adding that 鈥渨e would not like to be together in one community with a country that is at war鈥.
Meanwhile, he said, Hungary had received 鈥渧ery good offers鈥 in connection with the EU鈥檚 18th sanctions package, but 鈥渢here鈥檚 a bit more work to do鈥.
Asked about the trade war between the EU and the United States, Orban said he was 鈥渞ather pessimistic鈥 because EU negotiators were outmatched by the 鈥渉eavyweight deal maker鈥 that was the US president.
Asked about migration, the prime minister said 鈥渢he Hungarian position is rebellion.鈥 He said European leaders had 鈥渄iscussed 100 times鈥 how to make migration regulations more effective, 鈥渁nd nothing happens鈥. The only solution, he added, was to adopt the policy that has been implemented in Hungary, where those who do not receive permission from the Hungarian authorities are denied entry.
鈥淪o what I suggest to all my colleagues: rebellion, rebellion, rebellion 鈥 that鈥檚 what Hungarians do,鈥 PM Orb谩n said, noting that Hungary had to pay a daily fine of 1 million euros because it had stopped migrants. 鈥淭his is the price of rebellion,鈥 he added.
Asked whether the authorities should disperse crowds at the Budapest Pride parade to enforce the law banning the event, PM Orb谩n said Hungary was a 鈥渃ivilised country where everyone has the constitutional right to assembly and to express their opinion鈥.
He added, at the same time, that 鈥渨hen constitutional rights clash, no right can supersede the right to child protection鈥 because the constitution declared that this right took precedence over all other freedoms.
鈥淲e ask everyone not to do such a thing, but if someone does, there鈥檚 a clear system of laws that has to be enforced in such a case,鈥 he said, emphasising that 鈥淗ungary is a civilised country where we don鈥檛 hurt each other.鈥
鈥淭his is a country that hasn鈥檛 ever had a civil war 鈥 perhaps a little bit in 1956 鈥 so even if we disagree with each other, we don鈥檛 hurt each other,鈥 he said. 鈥淭his isn鈥檛 part of Hungarian politics.鈥
Asked what he would say if one of his five children wanted to attend Budapest Pride, PM Orb谩n said they are all adults so they all make their own choices.