Background information on Fidesz's EU-accession Congress

Dátum: 2002-12-06 11:44:00, eredeti URL: http://archiv.fidesz.hu/index.php?Cikk=6324
KCMDB-be feltöltve: 2024-05-04 17:57:02.976222, Feltöltő: fidesz_hu_scraper_v2

"Europe is our future, Hungary is our homeland: the program of European reunification by Fidesz Hungarian Civic Party", says the title of the thesis paper which will be discussed and approved at the Congress of Fidesz due on Saturday, 7 December 2002. The document will be presented to the delegates and to the public by Mr. Viktor Orbán.

The thesis paper, totalling approximately 70 printed pages, makes a firm stand for Hungary's EU-accession and, simultaneously, for the prevailance of the protection of national interests. The document, summarising the advantages of accession and the taking into account the methods of averting the negative effects, will be put to a nationwide debate, contributing to the EU-referendum campaign.

The first part of the thesis paper is a theoretical approach searching for the methods in harmonising national interests with the demands and opportunities of EU-accession and the challenges of globalisation. Taking into account the post-1989 period, the document comes to the conclusion that the representation of national interests will be more effective from inside than from outside of the European Union. However, this is a matter of adequate government policy: Hungary must build on its own traditions and strengthen herself in order to avoid that the processes of globalisation push her to the peripheries. The principal areas of progress are the strengthening of families and communities, the improvement of living standards, the development of the Hungarian countryside and the reduction of regional discrepancies in this regard. The thesis paper sets a new strategy in the representation of national interests. Hungary has to be capable of making use of the EU-framework from the perspective of the accomplishments of her own goals, reconciling the challenges and opportunities stemming from accession.

The second part of the document is a summary of the short-term, pre-accession measures that are suggested by Fidesz to the government in the different professional spheres in order that the strategic goals outlined in the first chapter could be accomplished. Three areas are placed special emphasis on: the improvement of the agriculture (strengthening family farms, renewal of the agrarian loan system, supporting the development of a competitive land property structure), closing the gap between EU and Hungarian wage levels, and the strengthening of small- and medium-sized enterprises. One has to bear in mind that Hungary's EU-accession is not "doomed" to success. We can only talk of a successful integration if the necessary steps are taken in this direction. These projects have been launched by the Orbán-government, but stopped by the Medgyessy-government. Resumption would be necessary, as 2003 is the last year when such measures can be taken without EU-regulations limiting the government's hands. Fidesz does not insist on either of the names or on the concrete measures of these programs, but is compelled to call attention to the fact that the draft budget for next year does not reflect any concept on Hungary's EU-preparation.

Fidesz is a eurorealist political party. It has been supporting Hungary's EU-accession since its foundation in 1988, as membership in the European Union stems from the fall of communism. As a political movement actively contributing to the emergence of the current democratic system, it is unnecessary that Fidesz launch explanations on its attitude to EU-integration, especially vis-a-vis those in Hungarian politics who have made a long way from the Warsaw Pact and CMEA fifteen years ago to NATO and the EU at present. Fidesz is today the party of European reunification and national consolidation in Hungary. It is not exclusively the ratio of support for the EU at the upcoming referendum in April which matters for Fidesz, although it makes every effort to this end. Similarily important is the need to prevent a rise in the number of those who will become disappointed in the integration process. Bearing this in mind, Fidesz rejects the kind of internationalism which fails to take into account the country's interests. The main message of the short-term analysis is thus the following: those countries will be the winners of enlargement that are prepared, whereas the unprepared will be drifting among the losers.

Budapest, 5 December 2002