"I love Germany"

Péter Magyar spoke in his first press conference after his election victory about the possibility of Hungary rejoining the Rome Statute for the International Criminal Court as well as future relations with Israel and with Germany. Here's what he said:

"The Orbán government has initiated the withdrawal process, and it may be completed as early as June 2. This is a process we can no longer stop, but we will reverse it. We will not simply reverse it; rather, we will re-initiate Hungary’s accession to cooperation with the International Criminal Court. I believe it is in the interest of the entire international community and of Hungary that we remain there, just as we have been until now.

"Regarding the relationship between Israel and Hungary: I can say that there is a special bond between Israel and Hungary. Many of our Hungarian compatriots live in Israel, and many Israeli citizens come here to Hungary. There is a very strong Jewish community in Hungary, one of the largest in Europe, fortunately living in peace and security.

"Hungary has always had zero tolerance for all forms of #antisemitism, and this will remain the case. We will not do what the Orbán government did in various propaganda publications, and I will stop there and say no more. Apart from that, Israel is an important economic partner, and we will continue to work together. We strive for a pragmatic relationship.

"I cannot guarantee that but that Hungary will continue to block the EU’s decisions regarding Israel. Of course, every issue and every decision must be examined individually. But as I said, I don’t want to get ahead of myself here. We will see what decisions the EU makes and what is in our interest and what is right.

"As for Germany, it is Hungary’s most important partner. We are bound by a very close historical alliance, a cultural one. There are also many Hungarians working there. Germany is the most important investor in Hungary. Relations have also deteriorated, there hasn’t been a normal bilateral meeting between the German chancellor and Viktor Orbán, despite the fact that the chancellor didn’t become chancellor yesterday and Viktor Orbán didn’t become Prime Minister yesterday.

"I can say that we would like to build a very close relationship. I had the good fortune to meet with the Chancellor in Munich as well. I had the good fortune to speak with him yesterday. He called me and said that he would like to host me in Berlin as soon as possible to discuss the outstanding issues and to forge political ties that are at least as close as our economic ties already are. After all, as far as I know and as I see it, German investors are doing a good job here; they provide jobs for countless Hungarians and contribute to the strengthening and growth of the Hungarian economy.

"I also see that there are German investors who have been unfairly persecuted by this government, and fair competition has not been ensured, though I could say the same about Austrian companies. We want to provide a level playing field for all foreign investors - equal conditions, not the preferential treatment this government has given to polluting South Korean or Chinese investors -but rather an equal opportunity.

"We warmly welcome foreign investors. We will, of course, support Hungarian small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as large Hungarian companies. We want foreign investors - and Hungarian investors as well - to see that the rule of law is functioning again in Hungary, that there is predictability, that laws are not passed overnight, that there is no rule by decree, but rather predictability, stability, and legal certainty, whether in the courts or in politics.

"I very much look forward to cooperating with Germany. I would also like to have a good personal relationship. I studied in Hamburg, and I love that city too. I love Germany very much."

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