Speaking at the bridgehead in Esztergom, alongside Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, PM Orbán praised the symbolic and practical importance of the bridge that links Esztergom with Párkány (Štúrovo).
“This is my third time giving a speech at this bridge,” the prime minister said, recalling the milestones of 2001 and 2021. “But never before could I stand here with Robert Fico,” he added, calling his Slovak counterpart “unyielding and indestructible,” with a unique ability to restore order in Slovak politics. PM Orbán also congratulated Prime Minister Fico on recent constitutional amendments, noting humorously that Slovakia had now enshrined the equality of men and women in its founding document—something, he quipped, Hungarian men have long been advocating.
Addressing the crowd, PM Orbán emphasized the special place Esztergom holds in Hungarian history, referring to it as “the first city of Hungary,” where King Saint Stephen laid the foundations of the Hungarian state. He also noted how respect for Esztergom extends across the country, with messages of goodwill arriving from as far afield as Debrecen and Zala County.
Turning to the bridge’s history, PM Orbán highlighted its destruction in both World Wars, stressing that neither Hungarians nor Slovaks sought conflict, yet both were drawn into wars driven by imperial interests. “The bridge teaches us that we do not want to repeat the mistakes of the past,” he declared, reaffirming Hungary’s commitment to peace.
PM Orbán issued a sharp critique of current European politics, claiming that just as old empires once led nations into war, “Brussels has now become a war project.” He warned that the EU’s approach—particularly its vision of defeating Russia on the eastern front—risks repeating the past’s catastrophic errors. “We Hungarians don’t want this, and yet they want to force us into it,” he said, likening the situation to past authoritarian regimes masked in the language of peace.
The speech took on a darker tone as the prime minister alluded to political destabilization efforts in Central Europe. He described a new form of aggression, not only against governments but also against citizens and clergy, asserting that “they are all Brussels’ people” operating under the guise of political opposition.
Still, PM Orbán ended on a note of solidarity and purpose. He affirmed Hungary’s desire to work together with Slovakia to prevent future destruction and even proposed building a second bridge—this time, a freight bridge—between Esztergom and Párkány (Štúrovo). Preparations are already underway, he said, with plans on the table and funding to be arranged.
“We want to ensure we never again have to rebuild this bridge,” PM Orbán concluded. “Let us build together. And may we meet again at the inauguration of the next one.”
