The Visegrád countries (V4) are subject to massive discrimination, and unless they step up – stronger and together – the situation will not change – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán wrote on Tuesday.

“It is a fact that the countries of the V4 have not managed to properly advance their interests within the EU’s framework. It is a fact that we, Central Europeans, are subject to massive discrimination. What I am saying is that if we do not step up — stronger and together — this situation will not change” – Orbán wrote.

Hungarian Prime Minister argued that the internal market’s current setup means that the European common market provides EUR 1,074 worth of annual extra revenue to the French citizen, EUR 1,046 to the German, EUR 537 to the Slovak and EUR 408 to the Hungarian. These are data from 2016, he added. Moreover, if we compare the amount of incoming EU transfers in V4 countries to the profit and dividend revenues leaving our nations, we will see the great extent of our losses. In the case of Hungary, the difference is 80 percent; in the case of Slovakia, it is above 90 percent,” the Prime Minister wrote, taking the view that “the disproportionality in centrally managed EU programmes (such as Horizon 2020) is not simply woeful — it is humiliating”.

Viktor Orbán. Photo credit. JOSE COELHO / POOL / LUSA / POOL / PAP/EPA

“Dear Mikulaš, should we not finally start behaving as equal partners to the western member states? Has the time not come for us to get organised and stand up for our interests? Why should we remain the EU’s dupes? Slovaks and Hungarians deserve more than this” – Viktor Orbán concluded.

(JAP, source: Cabinet Office Of The Prime Minister)