The Prime Minister: “I share the priorities of the Hungarian presidency of the EU, but sometimes positions do not coincide”
June 24, 2024
“We obviously discussed the conflict in Ukraine: we know that very well our positions are not always coincident. Precisely for this reason I want to say that I really appreciate the position that Hungary has shown so far both within the European Union and within NATO, allowing other member states and allies to take very important decisions even when they did not completely agree with it” . Thus the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloniduring the joint declarations at the end of themeeting at Palazzo Chigi with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
“With Viktor in any case we have reiterated the undisputed support for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Let us look together with great attention at its reconstruction because obviously the best way to look beyond the war is to imagine a Ukraine that is rebuilt, that can prosper, that can grow. Italy is very committed to this: we will organize the Ukraine Recovery Conference here in 2025,” added Meloni.
Meloni: “Excellent bilateral relations between Rome and Budapest”
“We took stock of the excellent state of bilateral relations between Rome and Budapest. Hungary is an important European partner, for us it is a precious ally, also within NATO. I am very satisfied with the intensification of recent months, both in our political dialogue and in the strengthening of our economic relations. Italian companies are looking with ever greater interest at the Hungarian market in terms of investments and exports”, added Meloni.
EU, Meloni: “I agree with the Hungarian presidency’s priorities, first and foremost the birth rate challenge”
“As you know, Hungary will assume the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU on July 1st and Orban is currently traveling to the main European capitals to illustrate the priority of the Hungarian presidency. Obviously I want to thank Viktor for the attention he wanted to dedicate to Italy with this visit, and I want to say that I greatly appreciate and share the priorities that have been identified by the Hungarian Presidency, starting from the not obvious decision to include a challenge among those priorities which I too have taken the liberty of quoting many times, which is the demographic challenge. From my point of view it is one of the preconditions that serve to build a strong Europe, which knows how to become a protagonist in the world again”, Meloni then explained.
“The birth rate is a problem that affects the entire continent. If we do not face this challenge together and fail to reverse this trend in the medium to long term our economic and welfare systems will become unsustainableand for this reason we have always considered it should work together,” added Meloni.
Migrants, Meloni: “Consolidate a new approach in the EU and experiment with solutions”
“In our meeting we also explored the Hungarian action priorities regarding the ggovernance of migratory flows. Here too we agree that the new European approach that has developed in recent months also thanks to Italy’s input must be consolidated, which is based on some pillars, namely the defense of the external borders of the European Union, the fight against mass illegal immigration, the fight against traffickers, the commitment to building a new model of cooperation with the nations of origin and transit that is beneficial for all”. Thus the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, during the joint declarations at the end of the meeting at Palazzo Chigi with the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
“We also agree that it is It is also important to experiment with new forms and new innovative solutions regarding immigrationand I quote the Italy-Albania Protocol which also became the subject of a letter signed by the majority of member countries and addressed to the Commission which asks to continue this approach in the future, defining it as a solution to follow”, he concluded.
Orban: “Italy is among the most important allies for targeting migrants and competitiveness”
“The Hungarian presidency of the EU is one week away. Italy is one of our most important allies to reach ours objectives in the field of immigration and competitiveness. Thank you for your hospitality, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni!”. Thus on X the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban who today was received at Palazzo Chigi by the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni.
EU, Orban: “Never with an anti-Hungarian Romanian party, but we collaborate with right-wing parties”
“From July 1st, Hungary will assume the rotating presidency of the EU and I am visiting other European leaders to seek support for the Hungarian program. Today we didn’t talk about party issues, because we closed everything last Monday, in Brussels, where I made it clear that we defend national interests and cannot join a faction where there is a Romanian party that is anti-Hungarian. But we are committed to collaboration between right-wing parties in Europe.” The Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, said this at the end of the meeting with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Palazzo Chigi.
EU, Orban: “Parties divide top jobs, Europe was not born like this”
“I think I am the prime minister who has held his position in the EU the longest, I have seen what has happened over the years and I think that the root of the European problems lies in the fact that in 2014, after the elections, the president of the European Commission, who until then it was the guardian of the treaties, it took on a role of non-neutrality, and the situation got worse. Now there are three parties that divide the top jobs and make European policy decisions at the party level. This was not the project of the European Union at the beginning. A country cannot be allowed to feel like it is in opposition in the European Union. This is a path that should not be followed, we do not support the party pact”, underlined Orban.
