logo
Németh: Chances of peace have grown with inauguration of new US administration

Németh: Chances of peace have grown with inauguration of new US administration

Budapest Times29-01-2025

Zsolt Németh welcomed the "flexible stance" of the Ukrainian leadership and expressed hope that President Vladimir Putin would take the same approach.
Zsolt Németh, Head of the Hungarian parliament's foreign affairs committee, said the chances of lasting peace in the world have grown with the inauguration of the new US administration.
Speaking at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on Tuesday, Németh told the assembly that a ceasefire and peace talks in Ukraine were 'within reach' thanks to the Trump administration.
Németh welcomed the 'flexible stance' of the Ukrainian leadership and expressed hope that President Vladimir Putin would take the same approach.
Németh told MTI by phone that Tuesday's debate on the 'new world order and a report on the need to renew the rules-based international order' offered a chance to review changes brought about by the Trump administration.
'The new interpretation of domestic security and migration in the US is especially important for the Council of Europe, a humanitarian organisation. This could have a serious effect on migration, which is an important factor for the CoE,' Németh said.
The Trump administration's conservative values in gender and family policy, and its 'classic, conservative interpretation of human rights', had serious backing in Europe, he said.
National sovereignty and the representation of national interests were expected to grow in value in such an environment, he said.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Hankó: Brussels wants to erase our Judeo-Christian culture
Hankó: Brussels wants to erase our Judeo-Christian culture

Budapest Times

time14 hours ago

  • Budapest Times

Hankó: Brussels wants to erase our Judeo-Christian culture

Balázs Hankó, the minister for culture and innovation, said Brussels 'wants to erase Europe's roots, our Judeo-Christian culture'. In a speech at the CPAC Hungary 2025 conference in Budapest on Friday, the minister said Hungarian culture provides a national identity that transcends borders, and higher and vocational education guarantee knowledge, work and 'a mission in service of our communities'. He added that science and innovation were 'what determines our sovereignty', and families were the future. 'It is these cornerstones of our Christian national identity that Brussels is attacking and wants to distort,' Minister Hankó said, adding that Brussels wanted to 'make the discriminatory world of abnormality dominant over normality and order'. Minister Hankó said this was the explanation for Brussels's exclusion of university students and researchers who pushed back against its influence from international cooperation programs, and this was why Hungary was being punished for banning 'gender propaganda' from schools. Minister Hankó said those who were fighting for their nation and justice would never waver, adding that 'this is how we patriots are.'

Hungarian government to provide aid to Praid and every Hungarian living there
Hungarian government to provide aid to Praid and every Hungarian living there

Budapest Times

time2 days ago

  • Budapest Times

Hungarian government to provide aid to Praid and every Hungarian living there

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said the Hungarian government will provide exhaustive aid 'not only to Praid [Parajd in Transylvania] but to all the Hungarians living there'. 'Praid is a part of Hungarians' national identity,' PM Orbán said in an interview with public radio on Friday in connection with the recent natural disaster that hit Praid's salt mines. 'They love the place as their own; it almost belongs to us… What happens there feels as if it happened to us. It's painful,' he said, adding that many people stood ready to help in the aftermath of the disaster. 'But for now, the situation is very difficult, almost hopeless,' he said. In addition to the disaster in Praid, floods in the Haromszek region had created a serious situation and 'Hungarians there will also need help', he said. Meanwhile, PM Orbán said Romania's ethnic Hungarian RMDSZ party was 'a well-organised, strong party which promotes Hungarian interests, not only politically but economically, too.' He said he was in contact with RMDSZ leader Hunor Kelemen and had promised all the aid necessary.

PM Orbán: We chose the path of tax cuts
PM Orbán: We chose the path of tax cuts

Budapest Times

time2 days ago

  • Budapest Times

PM Orbán: We chose the path of tax cuts

'We chose the path of tax cuts,' Prime Minister Orbán declared, distinguishing his administration's vision from what he called the 'politics of tax increases' favored by the opposition. Standing before business leaders at the renewal of a strategic cooperation agreement, the prime minister underscored that the relationship between the government and the Chamber has been a '15-year partnership based on mutual respect and performance.' He credited the Hungarian economy's resilience and competitiveness to this enduring alliance. 'There is no successful economic policy without a strong entrepreneurial class,' he said. 'And the government's job is to support the successful operation of enterprises.' Reflecting on the progress since the previous agreement in 2022, Prime Minister Orbán listed a series of achievements: 'We introduced personal income tax exemption for those under 25, reduced social contribution taxes, made it easier and cheaper to start a business, and reformed dual vocational training to make skilled labor more accessible to domestic companies.' More than 40,000 young Hungarians have started businesses under the government's startup support program, he noted. 'We committed, we delivered, and we implemented,' he said. 'This is a good feeling.' Looking ahead, the prime minister warned of a decisive crossroads. 'Hungary stands before two paths: One is the path of tax increases. The opposition does not hide it; they want to introduce new taxes: wealth taxes, property taxes, and raise income taxes. They want new EU green taxes,' he said, adding, 'We know what this economic policy looks like. It doesn't believe in work, it believes in redistribution.' In contrast, he offered what he termed 'a national economic policy.' According to this second path, 'We don't make decisions based on ideology. We base them on common sense. We reduced taxes because we believed — and I think we proved — that if the burden on businesses is lower, there will be more jobs, higher wages, stronger exports, and a stronger country.' Since 2010, Hungary has halved employee contributions, the personal income tax, and the corporate tax. 'In my belief, thanks to our tax reform, one million more people are working in Hungary, the average wage has tripled, and the minimum wage has quadrupled,' PM Orbán said Outlining five foundational principles, the prime minister said: 'First, the foundation of the economy is work, not welfare. Only respect for work and performance can move the economy forward. Second, those who work should be supported, not punished. A government that burdens workers governs against the future of the country.' 'Third, the key to competitiveness is tax reduction. The best support is letting people and businesses work without taking away what they earn,' he continued. 'Wherever there is a leftist government, economic decline follows sooner rather than later.' Even left-leaning businesspeople in Hungary can support this policy, he noted. 'Our economy is not governed ideologically,' he said. 'If there is performance — even on the left — they must not and cannot be excluded. They too are part of the national economy.' PM Orbán emphasized that economic targets must be met even under global strain. 'We won't complain about war or sanctions. It is what it is. But we must still achieve our goals. This year we will implement the largest family-targeted tax cut in Europe, a HUF 4 trillion program. Whatever happens, we will do it.' The prime minister also spotlighted joint economic tools like the Széchenyi Card and the Demján Program. 'We are giving HUF 320 billion to businesses. The Demján Program mobilizes hundreds of billions more for economic stimulus,' he said. After overwhelming demand, the government increased the program's budget from HUF 48 billion to HUF 130 billion. Finally, Prime Minister Orbán raised a major geopolitical warning: Ukraine's potential EU accession. 'Over three years of war, the Hungarian economy has lost more than €20 billion. That's what we would have today if there had been no war,' he said. 'Brussels wants to maintain a one-million-strong Ukrainian army with EU money and rush Ukraine into the EU. This would collapse Europe's economy — and break Hungary.' He vowed that Hungary would not bear the costs. 'We will not send our EU support to Ukraine. We will not accept the Ukrainian mafia, Ukrainian GMO food, or the collapse of our social safety net. That is what Ukrainian EU membership would bring — even in the short term.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store