Hungary’s Orban names two new deputy PMs

BUDAPEST – Reuters

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on May 4 named Interior Minister Sandor Pinter and Economy Minister Mihaly Varga as deputy prime ministers in his new government.

Orban, re-elected in an April landslide that gave his ruling Fidesz party a two-thirds parliamentary majority, enabling it to rewrite major laws, told public radio that his main political objectives were not changed.

Orban, one of the toughest opponents of mass immigration into Europe, won a third term in power after his fierce anti-migrant campaign resonated with large swathes of the electorate.

“We are building a Christian democracy,” Orban said. “An old-style Christian democracy rooted in European traditions, where human dignity is paramount and there is a separation of powers.”

“We will defend Christian culture and will not surrender the country to aliens,” Orban said.

He added that Interior Minister Pinter would be responsible for national security under a revamped structure at the top of his cabinet, which would establish a centralized office under Orban that is also in charge of a unified intelligence service.

Economy Minister Varga would serve as a guarantee for financial stability and predictability, Orban said.