Fidesz VP: "Weber is not serious"

After Manfred Weber told ZDF last Friday that he would not accept the presidential seat of the European Commission if it would depend on the votes of populist Fidesz. The party's vice president Katalin Novák responded on Monday in Hungarian pro-government political daily Magyar Nemzet:

Just like many other times, Manfred Weber is not serious in this case either.

She also said that she does not think it's wise for someone to say no to the support offered to him. 

Novák, who is also a member of the committee Fidesz set up to mirror the Evaluation Committee, also known as the "three wise men" of the EPP whose report will determine the situation of Fidesz in the European People's Party, also said that their delegation will inform the EPP's body that is examining the policies of the larger Hungarian governing party and the state of democracy in the country by "presenting them with facts in an extensive document." She said that the main task of Fidesz's committee is to examine what to expect after the European Elections.

Our three-piece committee's main task is to focus on the future: to size up the opportunities Fidesz will have after the European Parliamentary Elections on 26 May, and to see where we can most effectively represent the interests of the Hungarian people and the government's position on migration,

said Novák, hinting that Fidesz staying in the EPP is not at all evident.  

Novák also told Magyar Nemzet that this weekend at the 13th World Congress of Families in Verona she sat down for talks with Italy's deputy PM Matteo Salvini and  Minister of Families  Lorenzo Fontana. She said the leading Italian politicians regard the Hungarian positions on migration, border defence, and family as an example to follow, adding that there is a good chance that just like Fidesz in Hungary, Salvini's League will come out on top in the European elections in Italy, saying the most important thing is that many people vote this May, so they can defend the interests of the Italian and Hungarian voters with as many mandates as possible. 

Matteo Salvini's Italian party League is a member of the Europe of Nations and Freedom group, and according to Politico's report in March citing an ENF member, Fidesz was engaged in talks with them before the EPP's vote on the Hungarian party's suspension, though Fidesz later denied that such negotiations ever happened. On the other hand, Fidesz's communication does indeed seem to be preparing for Fidesz's split from the European People's party. József Szájer, MEP of Fidesz reassured everyone that despite Fidesz intending to remain in the EPP, Hungarian voters do not care about the political group in which their interests are defended, and founding member and journalist of Fidesz Zsolt Bayer opined in Monday's issue of Magyar Nemzet that Weber is a "cowardly piece of shit," ("gyáva szarjankó") urging Fidesz to get  "out, out of this swamp, it is impossible to stay true to one's self and principles amongst such cowardly crooks. Out of the People's Party, and fast!"

This article is a slightly amended translation of the original published by Index in Hungarian.