“Representing the opinion of the Hungarian people in Brussels is more important than party discipline,” Janos Halasz, spokesman for the parliamentary group of ruling Fidesz, said in response to recent criticism from the European People’s Party, in Budapest on Tuesday.

“This is a big family of parties; each party has its position and Fidesz has its own. We think that it is important to preserve European Christian values, and to maintain security and provide protection to our communities,” he insisted, and argued that “this is the position Hungarian voters authorised us to put forward”. 

Both EPP President Joseph Daul and Spitzenkandidat Manfred Weber criticised Viktor Orban’s government on Tuesday. According to Daul, Orban has crossed “red line” when his government targeted Jean-Claude Juncker. Speaking to German daily Die Welt, the French politician deemed the campaign “impermissible.”

In an interview with Bild, Weber said he wanted to make one last attempt to keep the Hungarian premier in his European party family as Europe’s conservatives are due to debate on a possible exclusion on March 20.

“Viktor Orban must immediately and permanently end his government’s anti-Brussels campaigns,” Weber was quoted as saying, adding that Orban needed to apologise to other EPP member parties and ensure the existence of the Central European University in Budapest.

Source: MTI, Reuters
Photo: EPP