UPDATED at 13:30
Minister of Justice Judit Varga will lead the Fidesz party’s list in the 2024 European Parliamentary (EP) election, and thus she will be resigning from her post, the Hungarian daily Magyar Nemzet reported on Wednesday.
The prime minister’s press chief Bertalan Havasi informed MTI this afternoon that Viktor Orbán acknowledged Minister Varga’s resignation and has nominated State Secretary of the Cabinet Office Bence Tuzson as her successor.
In a follow-up interview the paper did with the exiting minister, she stated that she could not confirm that she in fact will be leading the party’s EP list because the decision still needs to be made by Fidesz leadership. However, it is certain that after the election, she would like to represent the interests of the Hungarian people in the European Parliament; and, in the meantime, she will actively participate in the election campaign. To be able to dedicate herself fully to this task, she is resigning from her ministerial position. In the interview Judit Varga said she hopes for a strengthening of conservative forces and she will be working towards this goal in the future.
The minister stated, among other things, that the 2024 EP election is of great importance: a conservative shift must be achieved in European institutions, and she wants to play an active role in this process.
She added that her goal is to build more alliances within the European conservative network,
and to accomplish this, European politics must be her main focus.
‘We see an awakening conservative movement emerging throughout Europe. This is what we need to build on. I have always said that it doesn’t matter who belongs to which party; what is essential is to overturn the disproportionate liberal dominance in the Union,’ she expressed.
The outgoing minister also believes that she has fulfilled all the tasks she took on when she was appointed. Recently, the ministry managed to finalise two major agreements in Brussels:
‘In December, we took a big step forward in the conditionality procedure, and in May, we were able to pass the justice package. Only its implementation remains to be done.’
She said said she is particularly proud of the establishment of the nationwide victim support network, noting that her successor only needs to fill in the few remaining gaps in the programme. In the field of family law legislation,
a lot has been done to strengthen the rights of children and families,
working together with the civil sector and law enforcement agencies. During her first term in office, she also implemented a historic increase in judges’ and prosecutors’ salaries.
‘I feel that I can do much more in the future if my commitment to the interests of the Hungarian people in European politics becomes my top priority. In terms of the future of Europe, the campaign is now paramount: we must convince the European right, the conservatives, that they are capable of winning this election. And this work requires full dedication,’ Judit Varga emphasised.
Regarding the rule of law debates, she noted that there are some people who see these debates as a kind of mission; it is a task for the Soros network’s people. ‘However, in my opinion,—and maybe I am optimistic—there are also many among our international critics taking part in this misunderstood rule of law battle, but can be convinced if we ask them the right questions,’ she said. She went on to say that, in her observation, some member states still vote for certain decisions in the EU institutions, even if those are not beneficial for them. However, there is an understanding that,
in exchange for the false appearance of European harmony,
no one will ever harass them if those decisions are not implemented in their respective countries.
‘The senseless imposition of a deepening Europe will lead to disintegration and disunity. We need honesty, a clear definition of national interests, and mutual respect, because that is how the Union can stay together. Then, we can return to what the European founding fathers devised seventy years ago: the goal is not to suppress states, but to open up a larger space for action in which we can all be successful and celebrate each other’s success,’ she concluded the interview.
Related articles:
