Exklusiv-Interview mit Ungarns Ministerpräsident Péter Magyar

Added: 2026-05-23

[00:00:01]Mr. Prime Minister, this is a trip that you've announced many months ago already, even before you were elected.

[00:00:08]You said one of your first foreign visit will lead you to Austria. Why is that?

[00:00:14]Yeah, that's true. And I'm very happy that uh it came true. Uh I already mentioned it to the chancellor in Munich when we met two months ago and then because of historic reasons I think. So it's it's obvious that Austria and Hungary uh had very strong ties. We have we have a common history and it also goes uh to Poland because my first visit just uh happened in Poland in Warso and and Krakco and for two days and I'm very happy that I could arrive to Vienna uh from Vo because of historic reason. I think it's it's quite normal if you visit first your neighbors, your friends, your strongest ally, your most important investors. So I'm very happy and full chancellor.

[00:01:14]>> Now tens of thousands of Hungarians have left Hungary under the government of your predecessor Victor Orban.

[00:01:22]Something you could call a giant brain drain. and a lot of them live in Austria. Actually, some of them might be watching this. What do you have to offer to those Hungarians uh in order to possibly make them consider moving back to Hungary?

[00:01:40]>> Of course, uh you are you are true and uh maybe not only tens of thousands, but hundreds of thousands.

[00:01:47]Um, we have a very strong mandate from the Hungarian uh people, maybe the strongest nowadays in Europe. Uh, but it means a huge responsibility in the same time and we are very well aware of this responsibility.

[00:02:07]What we can do uh is to stop the high level of corruption to adopt all the necessary measures against corruption to join uh the European prosecutor's office to establish new authorities uh against uh corruption.

[00:02:28]our main priority and we received uh the mandate to do so to bring back to bring home the EU funds uh which are crucial for the Hungarian people for the Hungarian citizens from the Hungarianmemes from the for the Hungarian health care system education system energy system infrastructure system and that's my reply in a nutshell to build a normal European democratic uh country where you can live in a normal way uh when you can have friends, you can have a family, kids, uh normal uh livable education system, health system. That's our common goal nowadays in Hungary. It's not easy. uh but we will do our utmost as a new government to meet the very very high expectation of the expectations of the Hungarian people and also maybe of Europe.

[00:03:34]>> In your meeting with the Austrian federal chancellor uh you've mentioned that this is a new chapter in the relationships between Austria and Hungary. Now the relations between those governments have been rather distant in the recent years under Victor Orban. Uh on the other hand, Viktor Orban's fetus party has held close ties with Austrian Freedom Party FPU. Do you plan to establish ties to FPU as well?

[00:04:07]>> Actually, it also goes to the Polish Hungarian relationship. uh uh before between the urban government and the D government uh but to reply your question to the direct one so a direct answer it's not my responsibility or task to intervene in anyhow in your internal politics of course uh every everybody has uh its uh his or her own lies in the European Parliament in the European party politics uh we as a party we are member of the European people's party so our our natural ally is the fa uh here in Austria and that's why and because you have a chancellor uh that's why uh I had the chance to to to visit him first but of course we can negotiate we can have meetings with all the parties in Austria but I don't expect any strong cooperation between the F with the FPU and and the TISA party. But of course, I'm ready to to meet uh either with her kickle or any other leader of the party because we are neighbors. I think we have common interest to to improve uh uh the relationship between Austria and Hungary and to to work together >> for the Austrian and Hungarian people.

[00:05:36]>> Mr. Hbert Kik the leader of FP also openly supported Victor Orban during the campaign even in Budapest. Uh it's also an open secret that the Hungarian embassy in Vienna uh has held close ties with FPU. Are you planning to make any personal rear rearrangements in the embassy? Uh you've just recently dismissed the Hungarian ambassador to Poland.

[00:06:05]uh to be honest it's not my uh task and responsibility is up to the minister of foreign affairs but I I will ask her uh soon whether she has any plan uh to have new uh person uh to the embassy I don't know but to be honest not only Herbert Kickl he was not the only one who endorsed openly Prime Minister Orban we can mention many many names Donald Trump, uh the Polish president, the the president of Serbia, uh the prime minister of Israel, maybe Vladimir Putin as well, but it's I think it's normal. So everybody can endorse everybody. uh it's not my task to to to do it with any but after election after a democratic democratic election uh I think uh everybody will accept and everybody has accepted the result and now we have to work together for the interest of our countries uh for the interest of the Hungarian and Austrian people so I don't take it personal everybody has the right I don't want to intervene in any pay anyhow uh in internet politics neither in Austria nor in Serbia or in the US but that's me.

[00:07:27]>> We recently traveled to the western Hungarian town of Sbate to cover the asbestos pollution there. We talked to a lady there who's who lives on a street that's been covered in gravel stones that turned out to be heavily uh contaminated with asbestos. Uh she said she wants those responsible to be held accountable. Now this asbestos gravel stone has been sourced over years from Austria. Are you planning to take any legal action against Austria over this asbestos case?

[00:08:05]So one of uh the cities uh which uh which realized that uh the asbesttos is there is my is the hometown of my father. Sombate is a beautiful city and to be honest it's a very very sensitive question and uh we had the chance to discuss with uh the chancellor this topic and uh the first thing is not to uh start a legal case against your neighbor but to to try to solve the problem. try try to scrutinize and uh try to work together uh to stop the pollution and to to help the people and uh that's >> but of course that will cost millions of of euros or billions of foreign >> we don't know the the still because it's just begun and uh day by day >> uh the cost seems to be higher and higher but I'm at least happy that uh we were able to agree to establish a common working party or commission uh working also in Hungary in Austria to stop the pollution immediately because there is still one mine is working. I think four out of five were already closed. For me it's quite strange that one is still working operating and it's still possible to buy and to transport this stone either either to Hungary or to Austria. and I asked uh the chancellor to stop it immediately to take if it's necessary legal actions to stop uh uh this possibility and we'll see what will happen. We we have already committees in Hungary and I instructed my government to work very closely and very effectively and to to inform the the Hungarian society in every detail.

[00:10:05]uh the hope uh that we can work together with the Austrian counterparts and uh find a solution and of course you are right it will cost millions or tens of millions of euros and the polluttor pays principle is is valid and and uh should be taken into account for everybody >> at the European level at member state level at the private SM will at all level and of course uh it's our uh request and plea uh to pay the costs but first we should stop the pollution first we should uh help the people inform the people about the health consequence possible health consequences and then we will negotiate about the price and and uh look at the uh the responsible companies, >> authorities, politicians, I don't know, but it's the future.

[00:11:10]>> Now, Hungary not only shares a common border with Austria, but also in the east with Ukraine. We still have a war raging in your neighboring country. How and when do you see this war end? H to be honest I I don't know of course I think it's our common wish to end this war immediately because thousands tens of thousands of people uh are losing their life per months on both sides Russian and Ukrainian sides and the frontiers the line is quite stable.

[00:11:56]it seems. So there is no sense really uh to continue this this war.

[00:12:03]But of course Ukraine has the right and the Ukrainian government maybe has uh the responsibility also to to save uh the territorial integrity of their country and to fight for the freedom and independence. So it's a really really complicated question. You know the ter territorial integrity of Ukraine was guaranteed uh in 1994 uh in the Budapest memorandum was signed in Budapest of course and uh the problem is that the international stage didn't really do uh its job and uh not guarantee uh did not guarantee the the the integrity and the independence of uh Ukraine and now we need peace agreement uh with real guarantees security guarantees I think it's crucial for Ukraine as well otherwise there is no sense to write such an agreement we will do our atmost of course but it's not up to Hungary uh what will be the content of such an agreement and how and when the parties are ready to sign it we will offer all the necessary neessary help to them to reach at least a ceasefire and then a peace agreement.

[00:13:32]>> Security guarantees would probably need to be backed up with something like, for example, an international peacekeeping mission. Would Hungary be willing to send Hungarian soldiers to Ukraine as part of such a possible peacekeeping mission? No, we are not planning to to send any Hungarian soldiers to Ukraine.

[00:13:56]But you are you were just speaking about the plan which is which doesn't exist.

[00:14:02]So first I think we should wait uh for the agreement and for the end of the war and then all the member states all the states can scrutinize the possibilities, >> opportunities, >> obligations.

[00:14:18]Um, now we're here in Vienna where just recently, last weekend, the Eurovvision Song Contest was held. Um, Hungary has not participated in it since for for the last six years. Um, do you think we'll soon see Hungarian artist or group in the Eurovision Song Contest?

[00:14:39]>> To be honest, it's not up to the Hungarian prime minister. uh it's not my decision whether Hungary will participate again in this context uh contest uh but uh I received many letters and uh plea uh from uh the younger generation uh to nominate again Hungary to this uh competition. So I will instruct uh the minister or state secretary for culture to investigators to scrutinize our opportunities and I will come back to you and to the younger generation as well with the reply. I I hope so there is no uh objection from my part or there is no sense not to participate in such a contest.

[00:15:27]>> Very last question. You're the father of three sons who also uh participated in all your inauguration ceremony in Budapest.

[00:15:35]>> What kind of Hungary do you envision for their future?

[00:15:39]>> Thanks for the question. As you know uh these two years uh during the campaign attacked by everything by the propaganda by the secret service by authorities by fidas by everybody. Uh this was the most difficult part for me uh missing uh my three sons. Uh the youngest one is 11 and the the oldest one is just uh becomes uh 18. Um and I know it won't be easy for them the next uh four years. But the reason that I'm doing it and I and I didn't give up uh it was my three son uh to to provide to help him them sorry to help them uh to live in a country in a European country a democratic uh country uh where nobody will uh fight against human dignity.

[00:16:48]Nobody will uh uh blackmail you or nobody will heart you if you believe if you believe in in other things if you love in another way.

[00:17:04]Uh so to to to provide and to work for a normal country to be proud uh for our predecessor uh to our father grandfather you know we Hungarians we love freedom we love democracy you know it I think in in Austria we were able to fight for our freedom and the democracy in Hungary and and I felt that uh I had to do the him because of my grandfather, because of my three sons. And I I hope that in some decades they will understand the necessity and uh they will they will they will be able to look at this time u as a as a nice and and uh very important period of the Hungarian history. and hope that I hope that uh they will be able to and they will and they could be proud of me and uh could be proud of us.

[00:18:10]I will do my utmost and best uh to meet all of uh the expectations of the Hungarian people and to make my three sons proud of me.

[00:18:24]>> Mr. Prime Minister, thank you so much for the interview.

[00:18:26]>> Thank you for the opportunity.