President,

Mr. Orban has not at all convinced me. On the contrary. 

I have here a list of 30 breaches of the Treaty, fundamental questions, serious concerns, mainly on article 2 and 4 of the Treaty. 

Breaches, questions and concerns on the new Hungarian Constitution, on the independence of the Hungarian judiciary, on the new media law, on the independence of data protection supervisor, on the position of the Hungarian Central bank, on the new church law and on a lot of other issues in cardinal laws that recently have been published.

Let there be no misunderstanding, I did not make this list myself. 

They are simply the summary of all the facts, all the complaints, that you can find in official letters of official international authorities: the President of the European Commission, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights of the European Union, the Venice Commission, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the European Central Bank, the US Administration and more precisely the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. I did not add to the list of all the complaints of Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and of the civil society that are protesting in the streets. These are only official letters, by official international authorities.

So to say that there is no big problem ? I'm shocked, I'm astonished.

Yesterday the European Commission launched infringement procedures relating to the independence of the Central Bank, the retirement age of the judges, and the independence of the data protection supervisor. 

But let's be clear. There is more at stake. These are mainly technical issues.

What is necessary is to check the conformity of the Hungarian Constitution and cardinal laws with the European values: democracy, the rule of law, the freedom of religion, the freedom of expression, equality also. 

I think, besides the infringement procedures, this House, should take its responsibility. 

I call on our colleagues of the LIBE committee to make a report on the basis of article 71 TEU.  Stating YES or NO if there is a clear risk of a serious breach of our values. That is what we have to do.

I want to end with a personal message to you, Mr. Orban, Dear Viktor,

Let's recognize that you did a fantastic job in the past by beating together with many other dissidents Communism and dictatorship. But I am afraid you are on the wrong path. 

Listen to what your comrades of the past are saying to you today:

In an open letter the former Hungarian dissidents György Dalos, János Kenedi, György Konrád wrote to you and I quote : 

"Hungary is a sad example of what may happen wherever there is a concentration of crisis tendencies, aggravated by attempts to resolve problems (..) with authoritarian means and a policy of nationalistic isolation."

And they end their letter by saying : 

"It could be a good idea to react sharply, when someone is wiping his shoes on liberal democracy, even if that someone is an old friend."

I am also an old friend of yours , Viktor. Maybe I have also the right to give you some  advice. 

I want to remember the words of the great Hungarian writer Sandor Marai. 

He wrote in a pamphlet in 1942, a pamphlet called "the Kidnapping of Europe" and I quote :

"With excess, injustice, unfairness, wild passions, ferocity, it is possible to conquer;

Persevere, you can only by fairness, by patience, with a good sense of proportion."

So Viktor, bear these wise words of Sandor Marai in mind.