Tajani: ‘Keeping Fidesz in EPP is in Europe’s interest’

Deputy head of the European People’s Party (EPP) Antonio Tajani has called it a political mistake that the EPP membership of Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party had been questioned.

Tajani, who is also a senior politician in Italy’s centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party, told Hungary’s public media in Rome on Friday that Fidesz had played a major role in getting EPP’s Ursula von der Leyen elected president of the European Commission.

Tajani said he was convinced that the EPP should not be without a representative from such an important country as Hungary.

“It is natural to have differences in opinion, nobody is infallible, but I believe it would be a political mistake not to make efforts to keep Fidesz within the people’s party family,” he said.

“I am on the side of common sense. Finding a solution is a general interest for Europe’s stability, the EPP and also Hungary. I believe it will also be useful for Hungary if Fidesz stays an EPP member, especially after Brexit,” he added.

Tajani said Fidesz’s European lawmakers had always been loyal and did a fair job both in both the Brussels institutions and the Strasbourg parliament.

“One can disagree with some developments in Hungary, such as the [Central European] University, but let me emphasise that Fidesz has always voted in unison with the EPP in Brussels and Strasbourg,” he said.

Source: MTI