"Our discussion had a special atmosphere since we meet every one or two months, both of us being politicians of the European People's Party, but this was the first time that instead of sitting down as leaders of two European centre-right parties, he had been present as President of France. It is always an interesting moment when long-time friends come for a visit in Hungary as elected statesmen", stated Mr Viktor Orbán at the press-conference held after the meeting with Mr Sarkozy.

The chairman of Fidesz and the French President talked about the need for a strong Europe and strong states as its prerequisite. "I told him that we in Hungary have high expectations regarding his presidential mandate because it is our conviction that Europe is in need of an economic and social renewal, a route that requires leaders like him, who we believe to be the symbol of such revitalization anticipated all over the continent", declared the former Hungarian PM, who then added that this also meant a rupture with the taboos of neoliberal economic policy and the wrong way of thinking tied down by political correctness.

Mr Orbán declared: one of the most important ideas about Europe shared both by Mr Sarkozy and Fidesz was that the economic competitiveness the continent lacked was not a goal in itself but only a tool. There exists something more important, beyond competitiveness, of a higher order. "This is welfare, the welfare and the success of our states, of the European countries and its peoples. Economic competitiveness should help achieve this goal. If economic competitiveness does not bring about welfare and more harmonic personal life and social relations, then it cannot accomplish its purpose and will therefore stay a mere tool", said Mr Orbán.

Both Nicolas Sarkozy and Viktor Orbán agreed on the key importance of full employment. Mr Orbán expressed his belief that a renewed Europe should definitely set full employment as its aim and make work and job-creation as centrepieces of economic policy.

At the end of the press-conference, the chairman of Fidesz stated that he had accepted the invitation of Nicolas Sarkozy to the next congress of UMP, the governing French centre-right party, to be held mid-October in Paris.

fidesz.hu - orbanviktor.hu