Speaking at the general meeting of Daimler in Budapest, Orbán was presumably commenting on the European Parliament resolution passed yesterday that is calling to trigger Article 7 action against Hungary. He also said he believes it was time to concede that “no successful European economy exists without successful European national economies”. 

Giving his take on the 2008-2009 financial crisis, he says he sees that it was not about economic cycles but a structural crisis, a crisis of competitiveness; the response, therefore, should be in the latter dimension, according to the MTI report on the prime minister’s speech. The individual good performance of member states is a precondition for the good performance of the international companies originating from those states, he added.

While the Hungarian government is still strong in its communication for the “Let’s stop Brussels” national consultation, and appears to carry anti-EU rhetoric, Orbán once again voiced the country’s commitment to the bloc. He reportedly said today that Hungary is an “immovable member” of the EU, and “its fate is connected” with the development of the bloc.

Members of the European Parliament see a “serious deterioration of the rule of law and democracy” in Hungary, which they believe justifies the triggering of a procedure which may result in sanctions on the country, according to a resolution MEPs adopted yesterday, by 393 votes to 221 with 64 abstentions, according to a press statement issued by the EP.

Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó, blamed Hungarian-born financier and philanthropist George Soros for MEPs adopting the resolution.