In Brussels on Thursday, before a summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s heads of state and government, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that it is necessary to highlight the significance of the alliance’s Balkans enlargement, as this is an important means of consolidating peace and stability in the region.
“The Balkans is a complicated place, and there are tensions”, Mr. Orbán said at his brief press conference, adding that at the meeting he would argue in favour of enlargement.
The Prime Minister confirmed that Hungary will honour its undertakings, and will raise its defence expenditure to two per cent of gross domestic product (GDP). “We shall reach two per cent more or less by 2024”, he said.
In 2014 NATO’s member countries agreed to raise their military expenditures to at least two per cent of GDP. By last year, however, only five countries had reached this level: the United States, Britain, Poland, Greece and Estonia.
Mr. Orbán said that at the current summit every member country will have to confirm that it is taking its commitment seriously, and the countries concerned will have to supply a timetable for attainment of their targets.
He added that while several NATO members are taking part in the fight against the terrorist organisation known as Islamic State, at today’s meeting the North Atlantic Treaty Organization itself will join the international coalition “seeking to restore peace and freedom”.
The Prime Minister was asked about European concerns surrounding the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States. Mr. Orbán replied by saying that “Quite a few of us here are old war horses. We know what campaigns are like: everything will be fine”.
(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)
