The opportunity has reseted itself for Central Europen countries to cooperate and the flagship of the region is Poland. If we align ourselves well around the Poles, the region will develop much faster, Hungary s prime minister told public radio in his Friday morning interview.

Atlhough in the past 100-150 years a mindset determined by public law has come to dominate Hungarian politics, during the preceding 850 years it was possible to think in terms of major political issues. Back then Hungarian politics also had a geostrategic or geopolitical dimension, Viktor Orban said, adding that we now live in times when this is making sense again, and that he would like to see a return of that mindset.

„It is plainly visible that Hungary is where our forefathers have settled,” and the „big ones” around the country are still the Germans, the Russians and the Turks. Our relationship with them is a key issue for Hungary, more important than any public law issue, but our relationship with our neighbours is also a key issue, Hungary s prime minister stressed.

„We have invested ten years and I have personally devoted a lot of energy to create such relations with our neighbours that allows us to say that our neighbours do no want to isolate Hungarians, but they are ready to cooperate with us,” Mr Orban said. He added that Hungary had never had such good ties with Serbia and Slovakia as now.

„An opportunity for Central European development has emerged”, so Central European states no longer have to ponder about „where to find protectors that are much bigger than they are, or about having to hide under the wings of the Germans or the Soviets, or knocking at Turkey s gates.” Instead of trying to find guardians for themselves against each other, they now have an opportunity to join forces.

„The opportunity is here for us to unite and try to cooperate, try to organise ourselves as well as the fantastic life opportunity that Central Europe represents in knowledge, spirit, energy, economic potential, whilst preserving our sovereignty,” Viktor Orban explained. He added that this would require a flagship, and that flagship in Central Europe is Poland.

If we align ourselves well around Poland, Central Europe will be much better able to defend its interests, become richer and develop faster than if it were looking for external protectors, the Hungarian prime minister said.