“Make Europe great again“. The Ultra Government Viktor Orbán has chosen the most popular slogan of donald trump as a motto for his presidency of the Council of the European Union, which will take place between July 1 and December 31 of this year. MEGA instead of MAGA. A gesture loaded with high symbolic value with which Budapest implicitly confirms Brussels’ worst fears: that it will use the presidency as a platform to promote their nationalist and eurosceptic agenda.
The Hungarian Government pretends not to be aware that its slogan paraphrases the Make America Great Again of Trump. “It’s a European motto. I don’t think Donald Trump ever wanted to make Europe great again,” the Minister of European Affairs responded with an ironic smile. János Bóka, during the presentation of his program. Hungary has already chosen Strong Europe as the motto for his 2011 presidency.
“The motto is a reference to an active presidency, it states that together we can be stronger than individually, but at the same time We should be allowed to be what we are when we come together.. It also conveys the idea that Europe is capable of becoming an independent global actor in our changing world,” Bóka justified.
The truth is that Viktor Orbán is one of the few European leaders who maintains excellent relations with Trump, with whom he shares the nationalist and radical right-wing ideology. He last visited her at her Mar-a-Lago residence last March. “There is no one better, smarter or better leader than Viktor Orbán. It’s fantastic”, the Republican candidate then said. The majority position in the EU is of extreme concern facing a possible return of Trump to the White House after the November elections due to his isolationist foreign policy and the risk of triggering new trade wars.
The other element of the Hungarian presidency logo is Rubik’s cube, invented 50 years ago by the Hungarian sculptor and architecture professor Erno Rubik. “It reflects the Hungarian ability to solve problems and also the complex nature of European issues. The objective is to portray the European idea of unity but at the same time the will of nations, which are not irreconcilable,” explained the minister.
Although the powers of the presidency are very limited, the fact that Hungary will assume the reins of the EU during the next semester has generated concern in some capitals and in the European Parliament. In a resolution passed in January, the European Parliament ““wonders whether the Hungarian Government will be able to credibly fulfill this task in 2024, given its failure to comply with Union law and the values enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty, as well as the principle of sincere cooperation.”
The first victim of the Hungarian presidency will most likely be Ukraine. Apart from blocking EU military aid, Budapest has not stopped putting obstacles to kyiv’s entry into the community club. The current Belgian presidency has stepped on the accelerator to approve the negotiating framework and launch the dialogue at a meeting on June 25 in Luxembourg. A total slowdown is expected during the Hungarian semester. “The opening of negotiation chapters is not considered at all,” he said.
“As presidency, we will be an honest mediator and cooperate loyally with all Member States and EU institutions. However, Hungary has a well-defined European policy, represents a clear European alternative. This vision of Europe will also be represented in our work,” says Bóka.
In this sense, Orbán’s representative has celebrated the rise of radical right parties in the European elections of 9-J. “There is the possibility of achieving a right-wing majority which was not possible previously. The other important development is that all the parties that campaigned with the promise of change have gained strength, while all those who campaigned saying that the EU was going in the right direction in the last 5 years have suffered significant losses,” he celebrated. Boka.
In this sense, Hungary insists that will not support a second term for Ursula von der Leyen as president of the Commission because she does not agree with its policies. Budapest has no objections in principle against the rest of the candidates: António Costa for the presidency of the European Council and Kaja Kallas as High Representative for Foreign Relations and Security Policy.
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