Hungary PM criticised for 'senseless racist outburst' during speech

Hungary’s far-right prime minister has caused outrage by criticising the “mixing” of European and non-European people.

“We [Hungarians] are not a mixed race… and we do not want to become a mixed race,” Viktor Orban said during a speech on Saturday.

His comments sparked outrage from opposition MPs and European politicians.

Katalin Cseh, an MEP from Hungary’s opposition Momentum party, tweeted: “To all ‘mixed race’ people in Hungary, whatever this senseless racist outburst means: Your skin color may be different, you may come from Europe or beyond-you are one of us, we are proud of you. Diversity strengthens the nation, not weakens it.”

Romanian MEP Alin Mituta tweeted: “Speaking about race or ethnic ‘purity’, especially in such a mixed region such as central and eastern Europe, is purely delusional and dangerous. And so is Mr Orban.”

Speaking at Baile Tusnad Summer University in central Romania, Mr Orban claimed “the west is split in two”.

He said one-half consists of countries where European and other non-European people intermingle. “Those countries are no longer nations,” he said.

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He said such countries “continue to fight central Europe to change us to be like them”.

“In a spiritual sense, the West has moved to central Europe,” he added.

It comes as Mr Orban prepares to travel to the US to address a gathering of conservative activists.

The ultraconservative prime minister is becoming increasingly popular among the American right for his opposition to immigration, gay rights and liberal policies.

At odds with the EU

During his speech, Mr Orban said the European Union needed a new strategy for the war in Ukraine as sanctions against Moscow have not worked.

“A new strategy is needed which should focus peace talks and drafting a good peace proposal…instead of winning the war,” he said.

He reiterated that Hungary, a NATO member, would stay out of the war in neighbouring Ukraine.

His position is at odds with the rest of the EU. He has said Hungary is unwilling to support EU embargoes. Hungary is around 85% reliant on Russian gas imports.

He claimed the Western strategy in Europe had been built on four pillars: that Ukraine can win a war against Russia with NATO weapons, that sanctions could weaken Russia and destabilise its leadership, that sanctions would hurt Russia more than Europe, and that the world would line up in support of Europe.

Mr Orban said the strategy had failed as governments in Europe are collapsing” like dominoes,” as energy prices surge. He said a new strategy was needed.

“We are sitting in a car that has a puncture in all four tyres: it is absolutely clear that the war cannot be won in this
way,” Mr Orban said.

He said Ukraine will never win the war this way “quite simply because the Russian army has asymmetrical dominance”.

He said there was no chance for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, adding: “As Russia wants security guarantees, this war can be ended only with peace talks between Russia and America,” he said.

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