Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said regarding the autumn referendum that those who do not cast their votes leave the decision to others.

The purpose of the referendum is, he indicated, to give the Hungarian Government “a powerful mandate” for the big EU battles that are expected to take place in the autumn.

The Prime Minister was also asked about the assistance provided for the Hungarian community in Transcarpathia. He said that the Hungarian Government is doing far more than what is actually disclosed to the public in order to ensure that life in Transcarpathia should not fall apart; they help everyone who lives there and is in a difficult situation.

Mr Orbán also indicated: at every EU summit he raises the issue of the need for granting visa-free-travel to citizens of Ukraine.

Mr Orbán said that in Ukraine they do not even see signs of stability, and the country has lost a significant percentage of its territory and population. The former economic structure has collapsed, the country’s existence is dependent on external funding, and the prices of items of basic sustenance have increased. From a European viewpoint, the situation of Ukraine is a matter of conscience, and in this department Europe is not doing well today, he said in summary, adding: Europe has hardly done anything for the reconstruction of Ukraine’s economy.

(Prime Minister's Office)