The Hungarian Prime Minister speaks before the plenary in Strasbourg “to defend Hungary which has been a member of the European family for a thousand years”

STRASBOURG – After partially anticipating his speech with several posts on his Facebook profile, the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán spoke today in Strasbourg at the European Parliament hearing on Sargentini report in which it will be decided whether or not to sanction Budapest on violation of the rule of law. “You have already formed an idea about this relationship, and my intervention will not change your opinion, but I came anyway. You will not condemn a government, but Hungary which has been a member of the European family for a thousand years. I'm here to defend my homeland”, said the Hungarian prime minister, who defended his actions above all due to the broad consensus that his government receives at home. And really comforted by internal consensus, Orban had no problem taking sides directly against the European institutions: “Hungary will be condemned because it has decided that it will not be a homeland for immigration. But we will not accept threats and blackmail from pro-immigration forces: we will defend our borders, we will stop illegal immigration against you too, if necessary”. The leader of Fidesz, who is part of the European People's Party family in Brussels, he stated how the measures on immigration were taken on the basis of the will expressed by the Hungarian people: “We are the ones who defend our borders and only we can decide who to live with. We stopped hundreds and thousands of illegal migrants and defended Hungary and Europe. The Hungarians have decided that our homeland will not be a country of immigration.".
The attacks then continued: per Orbán, the EU with the report – which “contains 37 errors" – wanted to "throw away agreements concluded years ago", also considering the compromises accepted by Budapest on the judicial and electoral system. “You are dealing a serious blow to constructive dialogue. You will condemn Hungary which with its work and its blood has contributed to the history of our magnificent Europe, which rose up against the most important army in the world, the Soviet one, and who paid a heavy price to defend democracy". The Prime Minister concluded his speech by saying that “for the first time in the history of the EU you want to exclude a people from the decisions of the Union”.
She spoke at the beginning of the hearing to present her report, the Dutch Green MEP Judith Sargentini accused Hungary of silencing independent media, put a leash on universities, replaced independent judges with friendlier ones and decided which churches can pray and which cannot. Because of this, Sargentini said, “It is our duty to act. We are all guardians of the treaties and have a duty to protect the right of European citizens to live in democratic societies.
The leader of the People's Party in the European Parliament, Manfred Weber (candidate for the presidency of the Commission), he declared that the EPP “will decide tonight on tomorrow's vote, but I want to tell everyone that if there is no willingness to solve all the problems on the part of the Hungarian government, the article will be triggered 7.1” of the Treaty on European Union, That could lead to the suspension of Hungary's right to vote in the EU Council. Citing the Hungarian legislation on NGOs, Weber added that “it's okay to ask NGOs for transparency, but we cannot agree on a climate in which NGOs that criticize the government have problems working”.
Guy Verhofstadt of the conservatives called on EPP members to “follow their conscience. We are facing a battle for the survival of the European project: Orbán and Salvini want to destroy our Union. For European sake we need to stop it. At present, it would be impossible today for Hungary to join the EU".
However, there was no shortage of messages of solidarity with the Hungarian prime minister. Nigel Farage invited Orbán to join the Brexit team, adding that “fortunately there is a European willing to defend his people, his nation, its tradition in the face of this bullying". Outside the halls of parliament, Instead, Marine Le Pen defended the Hungarian prime minister in a tweet: “In front of the 'professors’ of the European Parliament who trample democracy while claiming to defend it, #Orban remained adamant: 'we will not give in to pro-immigration blackmail, Hungary will defend its borders and stop illegal immigration'. Bravo!”.

Solidarity also came from Italy. Matteo Salvini he has in fact declared that tomorrow the League will vote in favor of his friend Orbán, Why “the League will always defend the supreme value of freedom. The Hungarian government and people want more work and for this Europe is putting them on trial? Madness”.
Source: https://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2018/09/11/news/orba_n_all_europarlamento_non_accettiamo_minacce_e_ricatti_non_saremo_patria_di_immigrazione_-206169302/