“Hungarians may have their roots in Asia, but (king) Saint Stephen knew that their future lay in European culture,” he said. The Hungarian nation fought for centuries in order to belong to Europe and live freely in their own state, the Minister added. Tibor Navrasics was nominated on July 30 to become commissioner in the next EU executive.

Saint Stephen, king and founder of the Hungarian state, is celebrated every year on August 20, a national holiday. Though using European solutions, Saint Stephen did not copy Europeans but applied and adapted their methods and created a long-lasting state founded on Hungarian traditions, stressed Navrasics.

PM Viktor Orbán and other Fidesz right-wing politicians have claimed several times that Hungarians have their roots in Asia. In a speech held on July 26th in Romania, Viktor Orban said that Hungary was now „building an illiberal state” and cited Russia, Turkey and China as countries striving on economic success.