The Hungarian Government will publish a paid advertisement in the British press on Monday arguing in favour of Britain’s continued EU membership, Government Spokesperson Zoltán Kovács confirmed the German press reports to this effect upon speaking to the Hungarian news agency MTI.

He highlighted: Hungary takes the view that Britain’s continued EU membership is important because a strong Europe can be achieved with the cooperation of the large Member States. The Hungarian Government has frequently been accused of being anti-European, but its current „pro-European stance” clearly demonstrates that it is committed to and firmly believes in the significance of the achievements of the European Union, even if in many instances it envisages the future of the continent in a different light, the Government Spokesperson argued.

Mr Kovács said: they were originally going to publish the advertisement to be signed by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Saturday, but they postponed its publication by two days with regard to the suspension of the campaign in the wake of the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox.

The Government Spokesperson further reiterated that Antal Rogán, the head of the Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister informed his German negotiating partners of the position of the Hungarian Government on Friday, while on Monday Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó will do the same in Luxembourg at the EU meeting of Foreign Ministers.

The German newspaper Bild was the first to report in its online edition that the Hungarian Government will speak up for Britain’s continued EU membership in an advertisement. „The decision is yours, but Hungary is proud to stand with you as a member of the European Union”, this is the message the Hungarian Government will publish in the British newspaper The Daily Mail according to the newspaper.

Britain will hold a referendum on its EU membership on Thursday.

(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)