Helsinki, 8th November 2018
Distinguished President, dear Friends,
Tomorrow we are celebrating the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall. It was a great moment, a moment when Europe became united again. We, who were thrown into the hands of the Soviet Union, we had never accepted that there were two Europes. We, Central-European freedom fighters have always known that there was only one Europe, and that we can only regain our freedom in a re-united Europe. Fidesz was born in the fights fought for the European reunification. I have the pleasure to address the Congress on behalf of our great party. I am glad to see that besides us there are also the anti-communist, the pro freedom, pro-European parties of Central Europe with us in the EPP: Poles, Slovenians, Czechs, Slovaks, Croats, Serbs, Bulgarians, Romanians and friends from the Baltics. This is a right moment to pay a special tribute to one of the greatest statesman of the EPP ever, Chancellor Helmut Kohl as he left us since our last congress in Malta. Our emotion is even stronger as he is the one who invited us to join the EPP. A man who understands this party as a family. Knowing that in a family we might disagree, but we always stand together.
Dear Congress,
Upon the re-accession of the Central European nations, Europe has become more peaceful, stronger and wealthier than before. The truth is that Europe has been made successful by its strong members only. This also applies today. There is no strong Europe without successful member states. Without nations, Europe would lose its spiritual and cultural identity. We are the EPP. We are the European Peoples Party. Europe would either be a Europe of the peoples or it will not exist at all. The Socialists, Liberals and Greens are working exactly for such a Europe that has no roots and no spiritual identity. Our vision is a Europe, which has 27 faces at the same time. A Europe which is equally Christian and democrat. We, the EPP should never be afraid to reaffirm what we are: Christian democrats.
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
We, the EPP are the party of the champions. Victory is encoded in our DNA. People regard us as their own party. We are used to this. A party who belongs to the people, who represents them and who fights for them. It has been the case until recently; however, the situation has changed.
Dear Friends,
During the last five years we have provided leadership for Europe. We have to undertake this. We have to take the responsibility for not being able to keep the British in and the migrants out. While in 2011, we had 16 countries with EPP heads of governments, today we have only 6 of them. There is no way to beautify this. Facts are facts. No surprise that our self-confidence has been hurt and dented. If we want to win in 2019, and we do want, we have to find our way back to victory. It is high time for us to think, to act and to behave like the winners again. So first, let us restore the unity of the European Peoples’ Party. Let us never trust those who build personal ambitions on dividing our EPP family with socialist and liberal accusations. For the sake of victory, let us get back to our spiritual roots and let us proclaim the renaissance of Christian democracy. Let us forget about such nonsenses like the celebration of Fidel Castro and Karl Marx. It is better to let this kind of political aberrations to the socialists.
Dear Friends,
But what is even more important, to understand: we have to win not just to survive, and victory must be wanted. Let us not listen to our opponents, and let us not measure ourselves by the standards of the leftist parties and the liberal media. If we want to please them, we condemn ourselves to defeat. Instead, we have to walk our own way. We shall cherish our successes. Those who do not honor their own champions take the fastest track to failure. The European elections must be won at home, in each of our countries. In order for the EPP to become the party of the winners again, we need winning prime ministers.
Dear Friends,
The key to the EPP’s victory remains the same as before. We have to stand by the people again. Let us protect them from illegal migration, terrorism, crime and economic troubles. Let us put on our flags the old truths back: “of the people, by the people, for the people”. And we will be victorious again. And finally, dear Friends, let me be clear: we will line up behind Weber. Thank you very much, Manfred. You came to Hungary and supported us in the spring of 2018 at our national elections. We respect you because you always know when it is time for debate and when it is time for unity. We wish you good luck. You can be assured that Fidesz will do its best to bring the EPP to victory in Hungary next year.
Thank you for your kind attention.