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“A tense opening,” headlines Népszabadság in the wake of Viktor Orbán’s speech to the European Parlimanent. Present the programme for Hungary’s EU Presidency, Prime Minister Orbán was greeted by protests against his controversial media law from left-wing MEPs. “Visibly annoyed and shaken,” Orbán described this reception as “an insult to an entire people.”
Népszabadság remarks that the Hungarian Prime Minister’s adversaries “should not confuse the ‘Hungarian Presidency’ with ‘Hungary’, or the EU will suffer.” In Brussels, the main priority should be “the smooth running of the leadership. And Orbán’s government has the necessary qualities to carry out this task, which is more a matter of protocol than of technical ability.” With regard to the content of his speech, Népszabadság remarks that the success of initiatives like the rapid accession of Croatia, which is “one of Hungary’s pet projects,” or the extension of the Schengen Area to include Romania and Bulgaria will depend to a large degree on the good will of Europe’s larger countries.
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