Viktor Orban

“The main threat to the future of Europe is not those who want to come here to live but our own political, economic, and intellectual elites bent on transforming Europe against the clear will of the European people.”

“If Europe does not return to the path of common sense, it will find itself laid low in a battle for its fate.”

“What is the basic principle of democracy? In the end, it is loyalty to the nation. We Central Europeans know from historical experience that sooner or later, we will lose our freedom if we do not represent the interests of our citizens.”

“Values are more important than money.”

“Take seriously the traditions, the Christian roots, and all the values that are the basis of the civilisation of Europe.”

“I don't think that our European Union membership precludes us from building an illiberal new state based on national foundations.”

“We need to fight to prove to people that it is possible to form an E.U. migration policy that is in line with the Hungarian national interest.”

“'I can't get no satisfaction,' in political terms, has haunted Hungarian politics for 20 years.”

“We'd accept Germany either allowing all migrants in or not allowing any in. But whatever Germany decides should only apply to Germany.”

“When everything is going well, the role of the state in the economy should be limited. When we are in a crisis, it's different.”

“We must set up large refugee camps outside the E.U. with armed security and financial support provided by the Union.”

“Selecting Budapest would not only be a new city and country for the Olympic Games, but put the region on the map. We want to organise the first Central Eastern Europe Olympics.”

“We are not communists.”

“We are protecting Europe according to European rules that say borders can be crossed only in certain areas in a controlled way and after registration.”

“Hungary has no raw materials and no major energy sources; we have some agricultural background. So what we produce here in Hungary is the result of our labor and minds, and then we have to sell it to the world. If we are not able to do that, if we are not innovative enough, if we are not modern and open enough, we can't do that.”

“President Erdogan has been my personal friend for a long time.”

“The best migrant is the migrant who does not come.”

“If somebody takes masses of non-registered immigrants from the Middle East into a country, this also means importing terrorism, criminalism, anti-Semitism, and homophobia.”

“Hungary does not need a single migrant for the economy to work or the population to sustain itself or for the country to have a future.”

“Protecting a border is not a nice thing. It is not a matter of aesthetics; it cannot be done with flowers and teddy bears.”