In fact, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s visit to Vienna should mainly focus on the themes of migration and the energy crisis. However, the meeting with Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) was overshadowed by Orbán’s controversial statements about “racial mixing” and gas chambers. Neither Nehammer nor Orbán spared criticism of the EU after their meeting.
Right at the start of the joint press conference on Thursday, Nehammer explained that Orbán’s tasteless statements were not met with any acclaim in Austria. Nevertheless, the two politicians reiterated the particularly good ties between the countries.
Because of one’s own past, people have a historical responsibility in this country and therefore no understanding for racism and anti-Semitism, he emphasized. Nehammer has also clearly communicated this to Orbán – among “close friends” “honesty is the top priority,” the chancellor said.
Criticism bounces off Orbán
The Hungarian prime minister himself did not accept the criticism. He is not necessarily a racist and justifies his rejection of any form of migration “not on biological but on cultural issues”. is at least zero tolerance for anti-Semitism.
Gas storage “it doesn’t work that way”
In addition to the controversial statements, the meeting focused mainly on energy and migration policy. In this regard, Nehammer mainly criticized the European Commission’s slowness in joint purchasing of gas. “A common energy platform would be more important than ever,” Nehammer said, so EU countries wouldn’t compete with each other.
In doing so, he also expressed doubts about the feasibility of the 80 percent storage capacity specified by the EU until the fall, which “would not work if it were,” he told Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Orbán protests ‘war economy’
Orbán, for his part, fundamentally criticized the EU’s strategy of sanctions against Russia as a means of ending the war in Ukraine, and also warned of a future war economy and recession.
Mandatory rationing of natural gas “is the first sign of a war economy,” Orbán said after meeting with Nehammer. If the war doesn’t end soon, it will lead to a recession and massive unemployment in Europe as a result, he warned.
“Sanctions should no longer harm those who decide on them”
Nehammer agreed in principle to an assessment of the sanctions, but said “the time was too early”. Sanctions against Russia would come into effect sooner or later, he said confidently.
At the same time, however, the principle applies: “Sanctions should affect those against whom they are directed more, but not harm those who decide on them.”
Atomic Aus only with Hungarian power plants in Austria
For his part, the Hungarian head of government emphasized in relation to the EU gas emergency plan that his country “will not be happy if our rights are taken away”, as the energy industry has so far been the responsibility of EU Member States. Orbán was also unwilling to talk about nuclear power – he accepts Austria has a different opinion on this, but if Hungary is not allowed to build hydroelectric power plants in Austria, there will be no nuclear phase-out, he said in passing.
Source: Krone
I’m an experienced news author and editor based in New York City. I specialize in covering healthcare news stories for Today Times Live, helping to keep readers informed on the latest developments related to the industry. I have a deep understanding of medical topics, including emerging treatments and drugs, the changing laws that regulate healthcare providers, and other matters that affect public health.
