During his four-day visit to Washington D.C., Government Spokesperson Zoltán Kovács met with Members of Congress and reporters, as well as visiting think-tanks, background institutions and the Congressional Research Service.
Mr. Kovács held talks with several Republican politicians, including Congressman David Ross from Florida, Nebraskan Congressman Jeff Fortenberry, Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson’s team, and with officials from important think-tanks and research institutes such as the German Marshall Fund, the conservative Heritage Foundation and the Family Research Council.
Summarising his experiences, Mr. Kovács said in a statement to Hungarian news agency MTI on Thursday that he also regards his discussions with officials from the Congressional Research Service as extremely important, because this Service operates the database that serves to assist legislators and, as the Government Spokesperson explained, “there should at least be some precise information on the standpoint of the Hungarian Government there, because if they are forced to acquire information from other sources then legislators may find themselves reading distorted half-truths and sometimes lies”.
The Government Spokesperson informed everyone he met about the Hungarian Government’s politics, about the philosophy and general principles behind what the Government has been doing during the past seven years, and what practical measures were introduced as a result. “Current issues were of course also discussed, such as what will be happening with the CEU or non-governmental organisations, and my experience at every one of my meetings was that they fully understand what is happening”, Mr. Kovács told MTI, adding that “in general one-sided information, including many half-truths, have been published with regard to the CEU, which the Rector of the CEU and George Soros are propagating internationally”.
With relation to this the Government Spokesperson said that prejudice against Hungary seems to be slowly lifting, but information is still rather one-sided, because most information is acquired from the mainstream media. Mr. Kovács said that we must “take the initiative to a greater extent; it is not enough to simply pass information on to our embassies, we also need to talk to editorial staff and get the true picture through to more people”. Howewer, he also added that the Hungarian Government is often not given the opportunity to pass on correct information.
In reply to a question from MTI, the Government Spokesperson also spoke about the letter that a few American politicians, including Senator John McCain, wrote with reference to the CEU. As he explained, automatisms are at work when someone signs a letter written based on fundamentally wrong information as an emotional reaction. Based on his discussions in Congress, Mr. Kovács expressed his firm belief that politicians do not overestimate the significance of this letter and are fundamentally aware of the fact that “the amendment of the Act on Higher Education is not about the CEU at all, but about all Hungarian universities and foreign universities operating in Hungary, and that the legislation does not include any conditions that are impossible to meet”.
In reply to a question concerning what the Government Spokesperson’s negotiating partners were most interested in, Mr. Kovács said: Interestingly enough, not the CEU affair. Claims that the case of the CEU is a topic that has brushed everything else aside are a lie and part of the disinformation campaign. Politicians and experts everywhere were most interested in migration and the future of the European Union”.
The Government Spokesperson highlighted the fact that not only the press, but background institutions are also increasingly interested in what is happening in the European Union. “Hungary’s voice on this issue is better heard, because our standpoint is outspoken and does not avoid even awkward issues”, Mr. Kovács said, adding that for instance on the issue of migration the Hungarian Government fundamentally agrees with the new American administration.
“The Hungarian viewpoint and the Hungarian approach was received very well. We have rational arguments and these have found understanding ears. We usually say that we would like a Europe of strong nations, and this is something they understand. And not only because the American Government is fundamentally sovereigntist, meaning they naturally understand what we are saying, but also because this same approach is also given at background institutions. And we found similarly understanding ears when talking to Members of Congress.