6 November 2015, Lendava (Alsólendva)
Good evening,
I would like to welcome Prime Minister of Slovenia Mr. Miro Cerar, the leader of the Hungarian community of Muravidék President Ferenc Horváth, the Hungarians of Muravidék (Prekmurje) and the Slovenians living here. My first words are those of respect: words of respect and appreciation to everyone who has contributed to enabling the Hungarian community living here to preserve its language, culture and organisation over the past forty years.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is always a pleasure to come to Muravidék. István Hagymás wrote the following of Lendva: “the sentry post of Muravidék, which lies below like a miniature Carpathian Basin.” End of quote. This definition concisely sums up the fact that for centuries Muravidék was one of Christian Europe’s marchlands. While it is beyond Muravidék, not too far off is the settlement of Csáktornya (Čakovec, Croatia). Today we have reason to recall that town, because it was home to Lajos Göncz, a captain in the 1848 Hungarian Revolution. His great-grandson was Árpád Göncz, a worthy follower in that tradition, who became Hungary’s first elected President of the Republic after the fall of communism. Today we accompanied him on his last journey. Today we paid him our last respects, especially due to him as the president of the people, the nation’s President of the Republic. We wish to thank him for what he did for the country and for us. We shall preserve his memory.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Here one can learn something which calls for respect. One can feel that while there are people here who have been born of different nations, they belong together. They jointly preserve values which have been created by Slovenians and Hungarians together, and which they must protect together. The people who live in Muravidék teach today’s Europe that the things which unite us far outnumber those which divide us. This fact is also recognised in Slovenia’s Constitution, which makes reference to and protects Hungarians as an indigenous nationality. We wish to thank the Prime Minister of Slovenia, who is a friend and supporter of the Hungarians who live here. And the same principle is laid down in Hungary’s Fundamental Law, which states that we look upon the national minorities living with us – including the Slovenians who live in Hungary – as a constituent part of the Hungarian political community and constituent parts of the State. This is how we perceive Europe. In our view, the essence of Europe lies in mutual respect, the acceptance of and respect for each other’s values, mother tongues and cultures.
This is a corner of Europe which may perhaps be far from Brussels, but which is very visible from Ljubljana and Budapest. It is inhabited by many different peoples; this is a diverse world. History has repeatedly run roughshod over it in the course of time; when the soldiers left, however, the people returned and rebuilt their former lives – each people its own. If the word “Muravidék” is mentioned back home, we ask one another: “Will the Hungarians of Muravidék survive?” We see the deteriorating statistics, and we see the population decline. In answer to this question, we can only say that most of all this is up to them, the Hungarians who live here; in other words, up to you. Naturally we in the motherland will give you all the support you need, but we cannot decide for you; and indeed, we do not want to decide for you. Compared to the size of their population, the Hungarians of Muravidék have already made a disproportionately large contribution to pan-Hungarian culture – and also to Slovenian culture – with great artists, writers and poets. They live in peace and security in their native land, and work together with the Slovenian people. We Hungarian and Slovenian leaders can draw strength from this example.
And indeed we must draw strength, Ladies and Gentlemen, because history has once again kicked the door in on us. An unprecedented flood of people is pouring in across our borders in an uncontrolled manner. We stand on the threshold of a mass migration with unforeseeable future reserves of supply. Hundreds of thousands of people from a different civilisation have already crossed our borders illegally, and millions more are coming. We should recognise that there are some in Europe who would be happy to see nation states abolished immediately in order to remove the borders – and, in general, obstacles of any kind – which slow down immigration. There are some who would even fund this – mostly from our money, naturally. If things continue like this, if we fail to stop this flood, we shall one day find that the Europe which we have fought so hard for no longer exists. We shall one day see that Europe is no longer based on our values, but on something else. We shall one day see that the old continent – with ourselves in it – has changed, and that this land is no longer our home, no longer the land of our children’s future, but something else – something alien. We cannot want this, and we cannot accept this.
Dear Friends, Your Excellency,
We must make difficult and grave decisions. And it is not only today’s citizens and voters of our nations who will call us to account for these decisions, but also our descendants – for many generations to come. This is why we cannot afford to be weak today – either in thought, words or actions. I am convinced – and this is why I am here – that we must decide in favour of our national identity. There is likewise no doubt in my mind that we must decide in favour of Europe and our Christian culture. It is the triple unity of national identity, European identity and our Christian roots that has always made Europe strong. If we surrender any of these, we shall sink. Therefore I say that we should not surrender either our national identity, Europe, or Christianity.
Prime Minister, Dear Friends,
We Hungarians have a national commandment. It runs thus: “Every Hungarian is responsible for every Hungarian.” End of quote. Today we are living in times when we must extend this commandment. This is the only way to preserve the homeland of homelands: Europe. Beyond those of their own kind, every Hungarian and every Slovenian, every member of every nation which makes up the European Union, is also responsible for the whole of Europe. This is an authentic, old, Central European idea. This is why Slovak, Czech and Polish police are helping to protect the borders of Hungary – and thereby of the Schengen Area – in the spirit of responsibility and active solidarity; and this is why we will come to Slovenia’s aid if necessary. You can rely on the Hungarian people. Just as our past ties us together, so does the concern we feel for our common future. It is up to us whether we will shape history or history will shape us. We Central Europeans have lived to see others decide matters for us and without us on many occasions; now we want to be in control of shaping our own fate. We have learnt how best to use the freedom which we earned for ourselves 25 years ago in a responsible way, to the benefit of us all. Let us use this freedom to jointly protect Europe together.
Thank you for your attention. Happy birthday!
Mr Orbán spoke about Árpád Göncz and the challenges of migration among others in Lendva