Is COVID-19 Endangering Democracy in Hungary?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: Now, Foreign Minister Szijjarto, as you know, we don’t engage in fake news, so there’s just no point in even using that term when talking to me. This is what your Parliament has done. And you have an indefinite, indefinite rule by decree. And, as you very well know, sure, you can say, theoretically, the Parliament can change this, but the Parliament is two- thirds majority of your party and your party’s allies, the ruling Fidesz party and its allies. Really? The Parliament is going to go against Viktor Orban? You just tell me if you think that’s even possible.

PETER SZIJJARTO, HUNGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: You know, first of all, the composition of the Parliament is not an outcome of a lottery, but elections. So, I think it’s kind of natural that, in a parliament, there is a majority and there is a minority. And the majority is definitely for the government. On the other hand, yes, there are many fake news spread about Hungary in this regard, unfortunately. I spoke about this term generally. Many media outlets have spread lies and fake news around this law. One of these fake news is that it says that the government has an uncontrolled and unlimited possibility to make decrees, which is not true. The law says very clearly that we can make decrees only in accordance with protecting the country, the people, and the economy from the challenges related to the virus. And we definitely have to make such kind of decisions. But we are not the only one. All countries in the world, I guess, make them. And just for the sake of comparison, I have to tell you that the rights which have now been given to the Hungarian prime minister and the environment by the Parliament are much narrower than the rights, for example, given to the president of France under normal circumstances. So, portraying this situation as if it was a threat to democracy is simply unfair. I have to be honest with you.