Speech by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at a ceremony marking the opening of the Sipos Márton Sports Swimming Pool

Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen.

Thank you for inviting me here today. As you have heard, it was a difficult birth, but the child is sturdy and seems viable, so let's forget about everything else. When we are able to bring such chaotic affairs to an end, we usually say, "What's over is over, and what will be will be: Fidesz!" I only say this because we know István's order list, and János Lázár is working on it. It is no coincidence that we were able to build this swimming pool here in Szekszárd even under such difficult circumstances. Minister János Lázár and I are both from outside the capital, and so we are keenly aware that there is more to the country than Budapest.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Hungary is a republic, but now I have the honour of standing here in the shadow of kings. So I am very grateful that athletes are here, and that together we can celebrate today. István Horváth, my fellow Member of Parliament, referred to the many difficulties, but somehow this swimming pool was completed. And if someone were to ask me to summarise Hungary's thousand-year history in a single phrase, I would give the following answer. I would say a phrase that describes the current situation well, and that phrase is "despite everything". That is the essence of Hungarian history: "despite everything". Just think back to the last century, when we lost the First World War and then the Second World War, and our enemies decided to redraw Hungary's borders and create conditions for us that would make it impossible to survive - and even if we did survive, would leave us poor and small forever. This was Hungary's fate. This is what was intended for us after World War I, then again after World War II, and even more so under communism. And yet, dear people of Szekszárd, here we are! We are still here, we will remain here, and I can promise you that if you allow us to continue governing, Hungary will once again become a great and prosperous country. But that is not why we have gathered here today. We are here because of the swimming pool. I would like to tell you that we decided to build the swimming pool nine years ago. When I visited your city as part of the Modern Cities Programme, we reached an agreement on what would be built here, including the swimming pool. The Modern Cities Programme was based on the idea that Budapest should not dictate how funding it sends to other areas should be spent, but rather we should allow, want, and indeed urge local people to tell us what they need. After all, no one knows better than you what Szekszárd needs. This is how the list finally included this swimming pool, which we later implemented.

I must say that you have placed a great deal of trust in us. Those who have spoken before me have already mentioned this politely and indirectly, so let me speak bluntly and directly. We received the utmost trust from you, because in the 2022 parliamentary elections we received more votes from you here in Szekszárd than ever before. That was tremendous support. And we should also mention the previous mayor, because I also remember that he fought hard to get us this far, and his situation also made things difficult here. But still you stood by us throughout, and we stood by you; and in the 2024 municipal elections we received many more votes than ever before - which is of course on the one hand thanks to the mayoral candidate, and on the other hand to the work that has been done. So I stand here now before you as someone who in 2022 was granted trust in advance. The Mayor stands here in the same position, which is why the list you have just heard from the Member of Parliament is one that we have not yet agreed on, but which we are close to agreeing on. You are right to expect us to repay that trust.

I would like to give you a brief report on our progress since signing the Modern Cities Programme. First let me tell you that in your city in 2010 there were 15,000 unemployed people - or, more precisely, 15,000 people looking for work. Today there are fewer than 5,000. The unemployment rate in this city is below 3 per cent. This means two things: first, that people want to work; and second, that jobs have been created here in recent years. As part of the Modern Cities Programme, investments have been made here worth 22 billion forints. Eight billion has been spent on a knowledge centre, 3 billion on the development of public utilities, 7.5 billion on a swimming pool, and 3.5 billion on an industrial park. We have supported local businesspeople. We have given 37 businesses in Tolna County 2.5 billion forints in support as part of the Sándor Demján Programme, and 22 billion forints has come to the county from the Baross Loan Programme. There are currently eleven development programmes underway, worth nearly 5 billion forints. In the Szekszárd area - not only in the city but also in the wider area - 270 project investments and developments are underway, which are receiving 20 billion forints in support. This is what we have been able to achieve in the past period. This is encouraging. It is encouraging because it shows that despite the war, despite inflation, despite sanctions, there is energy in the city of Szekszárd. And there is energy in the Government as well.

People of Szekszárd,

The election will be held in 2026. We have two paths to choose from. If my fellow Member of Parliament István Horváth invites me here to you, to Szekszárd, then I will come and tell you what the choices are. But that is not too far off. We can already see something unfolding before our eyes, and - with only seven months left until the election - I ask you to kindly consider the points I am about to make. No matter how much one may desire a comfortable life, it sometimes happens that God decrees that one's life should coincide with the threshold of a new era. And if you listen to and watch the news coming from Western Europe, you can see that an era has come to an end. We see the end of the era in which we could say that everything to the west of us was good and all we had to do was copy what was happening there. They may still be richer than us, but we can no longer say that everything there is better than here. Security has gone, migrants have broken in, parallel societies are emerging, Christian traditions are disappearing, children and families cannot feel safe; and meanwhile Europe's economy is steadily losing ground to other, emerging economies around the world. Hungary has two options: either we go with them, or we follow our own Hungarian path. If, in seven months' time, we decide to follow the path they are taking, we must be prepared for the fact that Hungary will not only lose its security and peace, but also the opportunity to come together here in Szekszárd for events and handover ceremonies like this one in the city of Szekszárd, and to do everything that your elected representatives ask of the Hungarian government. If we choose the Brussels path, it will mean that taxes will be raised, yours and everyone else's, and the money collected will be sent to Brussels - and from Brussels to Ukraine. It is a little more complicated than what I have described, but that is the essence of it. If we choose that path, we will end up where they ended up: we will be on the brink of war, and migrants will be knocking on our door. Do not forget: today marks the tenth anniversary of the Battle of Röszke, when migrants attempted to force their way into Hungary.

We would pay as much tax as Westerners, and I believe that the Hungarian economy - including businesses and families in Szekszárd - would hardly be able to cope with that. However, if we are brave enough and continue what we have started, then we can remain on the path of national governance; and then - as has always been the case over the past hundred years - we achieve all our goals, despite everything. Hungary will remain an island of peace, Hungary will not go to war, Hungary will not take responsibility for a war that has nothing to do with it, Hungary will not send its money to Ukraine, and it will not hand over its powers and its sovereignty to Brussels.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Enough about politics, and back to the swimming pool! According to legend, at the medals ceremony the Greek king asked our first Olympic champion, Alfréd Hajós, where he had learned to swim so well. He replied, "In the water, Your Majesty". There may be some truth in that. And if in the near future you ask the people of Szekszárd where they learned to swim, they will probably say, "At Sipos". When I was preparing to come here to see you, I looked up Márton Sipos; and indeed, as we have heard, in 1922 that son of Szekszárd broke the 100-metre breaststroke world record.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Mayor has informed me that here we are not only handing over a swimming pool, but also a space for the community. Sport truly builds community, and what every town and village in Hungary needs most today is for people to meet, talk to each other, understand each other and do things together. And sport is an excellent opportunity for this here in Szekszárd too.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Mihály Babits, a native of this city, once wrote that as a child he was proud that from the vineyards of Szekszárd he could see all the way to Kalocsa. He then added that he could see even further: "From the top of that hill I could see the whole of old Greater Hungary - like a vast, circular courtyard surrounding my farm." Well, through Babits, that is how I think of you. This is the place from which you can see so far. Szekszárd is a fantastic place - a city that everyone loves. Thanks to its winemakers, and to someone we all respect: thanks to Babits!

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Szekszárd has always been a distinguished city in Hungary. I hope it will remain so. I wish every success to the Mayor and the Council, who were elected with great support. I wish our sports leaders here today and János Lázár every success in reaching an agreement with Member of Parliament István Horváth. And my wish is that all of you will keep the city of Szekszárd as beautiful and admirable as it is now. With thanks for your support so far, I wish all of you strength and good health. I wish you good neighbours, understanding partners, happy families, and I wish all of you work that is useful, meaningful and productive. Long live the people of Szekszárd!

Go Hungary, go Hungarians!