Hungarian Prime Minister-elect Péter Magyar held his first international press conference after the 12 April election, which resulted in a supermajority victory for his Tisza Party. During the three-hour-long briefing, Magyar outlined key policies of the future government, including several aspects of foreign policy.

‘Hungary’s history is written by the Hungarian people, not in Moscow, not in Brussels, and not in Washington,’ he stressed, asking other countries to regard Hungary as a ‘free, independent and sovereign European country’ that is a member of the European Union and NATO. Magyar added that, under a Tisza government, Hungary will not ‘interfere in the internal affairs of any country,’ accusing Viktor Orbán and the outgoing leadership of meddling in the domestic politics of allied states.

Magyar further stated that the ‘Tisza government will be a government of peace,’ rejecting claims by Fidesz that a change in government would drag Hungary into war. He also accused Orbán of neglecting domestic issues such as healthcare, education, and the cost of living, while focusing primarily on foreign policy. ‘We will regard politics as a service, and fundamentally bring politics back to the people,’ he said.

Race Against Time for EU Funds

Tisza campaigned on a pro-EU and anti-corruption platform. Many, including Fidesz-linked figures, argue that the electoral defeat is closely linked to the governing parties’ inability or unwillingness to address corruption allegations during the campaign.

Magyar emphasized that one of his government’s first tasks will be the implementation of anti-corruption measures, including initiating Hungary’s accession to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, establishing a National Asset Recovery and Protection Office, and introducing a constitutional limit preventing any individual from serving as prime minister for more than eight years. He also pledged to ‘do everything to restore the rule of law, plural democracy, and the system of checks and balances.’

‘Magyar said that after taking office he would first travel to Warsaw’

Another key campaign promise of Tisza was to unlock currently frozen EU funds, withheld by the European Commission since December 2022 over rule-of-law concerns, including issues related to judicial independence, media and academic freedom, migration policy, and the treatment of the LGBTQ community. Around €18 billion remains frozen under the rule-of-law mechanism and could be permanently lost after August 2026 unless the required reforms are implemented.

Magyar said that after taking office he would first travel to Warsaw, then Vienna, and then Brussels. ‘This could even happen in a single day, as speed is essential—Hungary has already lost a great deal of EU funding,’ he said.

Lifting the Veto on Ukraine Loan

According to media reports, the European Commission expects Hungary to lift its veto on the joint EU loan to Ukraine as part of an agreement on releasing funds. Magyar stated that he would not block the loan, but Hungary would maintain the opt-out negotiated by Viktor Orbán in December 2025. Orbán had previously moved to veto the loan despite the agreement after Kyiv halted the transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline.

Addressing Ukraine policy, Magyar emphasized the importance of maintaining cooperative relations with neighbouring countries, particularly due to Hungarian minority communities abroad. He noted that around 100,000 Hungarians live in Transcarpathia, making it a shared interest to resolve outstanding disputes.

He accused the Orbán government of using Ukraine-related issues for domestic political purposes, including during the election campaign, when Fidesz alleged that Tisza was collaborating with Kyiv and Brussels.

Relations between Hungary and Ukraine have deteriorated significantly in recent years, due to Orbán’s ties with Russia, disputes over EU policy on Ukraine, and Kyiv’s restrictions affecting the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia. Magyar stated that improving bilateral relations would require a resolution of minority rights issues, which he said is also understood by the Ukrainian leadership.

Russian Oil, Migration, Trump

On Russia, Magyar echoed elements of the previous government’s position, stating that while Hungary must diversify its energy imports, ‘diversification does not mean abandoning cheap Russian oil.’ At the same time, he described Russia as a security risk and emphasized the need for Europe to prepare accordingly.

On migration, Magyar promised to maintain a ‘very strict position’, rejecting ‘any pact or allocation mechanism’, and confirmed that his government intends to keep the southern border fence built under Orbán in 2015. Hungary has been subject to a €1 million daily fine since 2024 for non-compliance with EU migration policy. Magyar said his government would seek ways to avoid these penalties, suggesting that the current situation may constitute ‘mismanagement’, while also criticizing the EU’s handling of migration.

‘Diversification does not mean abandoning cheap Russian oil’

Regarding relations with the United States under President Donald Trump—one of the closest Western allies of Viktor Orbán—Magyar stated that ‘everything must be done’ to maintain strong ties. At the same time, he described the election result as a ‘major defeat’ for the American MAGA movement, referring to Orbán as one of its poster figures. He added that he does not intend to initiate contact with Trump, but that his government would be open to engagement if approached by Washington.

Continued Pragmatism?

Magyar also proposed pragmatic cooperation with neighbouring countries, including Hungarian minority parties, despite what he described as their previous alignment with Orbán. He emphasized that support for Hungarians abroad—including dual citizenship and voting rights—would continue, but promised greater transparency in the allocation of funds.

He further suggested expanding regional cooperation into a broader ‘V8’ format, potentially including Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, and Romania. While stressing the importance of improved relations, he also criticized the Slovak government led by Prime Minister Robert Fico over the controversial Beneš decrees.

Addressing foreign investment, Magyar acknowledged China as ‘one of the most important and strongest countries in the world,’ stating that existing projects would be subject to review, though ‘not with the aim of dismantling them.’ He said his government would retain the effective elements of Orbán’s Eastern Opening policy while correcting its shortcomings.

‘Corruption will be cut out, but Asian countries may still become key economic partners over time,’ he said, adding that Hungarian small and medium-sized enterprises should be placed in a stronger position within major investment projects such as those involving BYD and CATL.

Watch the full press conference below:

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