OUR INTERVIEW. The editor-in-chief of the Hungarian weekly attacked by Tusk responds: "I follow with concern what is happening in Poland after the elections"

I was surprised by this entry by Mr Tusk. Does he not recognise the freedom of opinions other than his own? What surprises me is the unpleasantly harsh tone he used towards our media, which always tries to give space for diverse opinions. I hope Mr Tusk understands this

— says Dr Zoltán Szalai, editor-in-chief of the weekly Mandiner, in an interview with wPolityce.pl.

Michał Karnowski, wPolityce.pl: Let’s start from the beginning, Mr Editor: Why did you decide to publish an interview with the former Polish Prime Minister, one of the leaders of the Law and Justice party, Mateusz Morawiecki?

Dr Zoltán Szalai, editor-in-chief of the Mandiner weekly: Prime Minister Morawiecki was invited to Budapest to speak at the big international conservative conference CPAC Hungary and it was obvious that we should try to interview such an important politician who has always been a great friend of Hungary. We know in Hungary that his six-year term as Prime Minister of Poland was a very successful period for Polish sovereignty. I would like to add that the Mandiner weekly and portal is one of the largest and most serious media in Hungary and whenever we can we interview important visitors to Hungary. Even with Mr Radoslaw Sikorski when he visited our country in the summer of 2022.

Did Mateusz Morawiecki say anything strange in the interview that would warrant an attack on the interview?

I think he said what Law and Justice has been expressing consistently for years. Some of his opinions largely coincide with those of the majority of Hungarian society, such as his critical view of the plans to make the Union a de facto one state and his criticism of the attitude of the Brussels establishment towards our nations.There have also been differences, such as Poland’s unconditional military support for Ukraine, which Hungarians fear, believing that this will only prolong the war and not bring peace.But after all, these are matters known to the Polish public as well.

So how did you respond to Donald Tusk’s attack on this interview? To quote: „On the anniversary of our entry into the EU, announce in Budapest, in a pro-Russian weekly, that Brussels (not Moscow) is a ‘threat to democracy in Europe’. Posters, newspaper covers. It used to be said of such ‘useful idiots’. At best’.

I was surprised by this statement by Mr Tusk. Does he not recognise the freedom of opinions other than his own? I am also surprised by the unpleasantly harsh tone he used towards our media, which always tries to give space for diverse opinions. Respecting the different orientations of the media (we are an openly conservative newspaper) is a cornerstone of our democracy. I hope that Mr Tusk understands this important principle. We are ready to interview him at any time, for dialogue is the key to common understanding and cooperation between countries and people. I hope that he will heed my request and offer to dialogue with the large number of Mandiner readers.

Tusk alluded to Hungary’s attitude towards the war in Ukraine. What is it really like? I would ask you to outline it as briefly as possible.

Yes, it is worth doing so because Hungary’s position on the war is often misunderstood. In Hungary, it is clear to everyone that Russia’s attack on Ukraine is unlawful aggression. Given our history of the Second World War and the memory of the 1956 Revolution bloodily suppressed by the Soviets, there can be no doubt about our attitude here. My grandfather spent 5 years in a gulag in Siberia after 1945, so my family history too is full of bad memories connected to Russia.

Hungarians, on the other hand, do not see the huge military support for Ukraine has pushed things forward in any way. Still about 20% of Ukrainian territory is under Russian control and the front lines have been frozen for a long time. How long can this continue? What will happen if the same situation continues for years to come? How will Ukraine ever regain its territories?

Finally, will NATO ever enter the war with its own troops, which could clearly be the opening of World War III? Is this really what we want? Is this really the only solution? Hungarians are very doubtful about this.

And that is why we are so hurt by the untrue accusations made against us. If you want to achieve peace in a different way, are you really immediately Putin’s puppet? I think that the Poles, one of the smartest nations in Europe, will not let themselves be talked into this. Both Hungarians and Poles have to work to understand the thinking of the other side.

The Poles see it more radically but agree that it is possible to talk about these topics normally. Aren’t you concerned, however, that Tusk’s goal is not dialogue with Hungary but the destruction of Polish-Hungarian friendship and cooperation on such key regional issues as migration policy, border defence, defence of sovereignty and common sense in Europe in general?

I follow with concern what is happening in Poland after the elections. From the outside, it seems that every tool - no matter how undemocratic - is allowed to hit the former government and its people. Brussels has also played an undemocratic game over the years, influencing the shape of Polish politics with unlawful actions. The political debate with the Polish government has not been conducted with political tools but has been transferred to the level of legal action, which is absolutely contrary to every principle we have believed in for decades. I hope that Mr Tusk understands his historical responsibility to maintain the long tradition of Hungarian-Polish friendship and will not use his power to attack and weaken the unity of our countries.

Thank you for the interview