At the Central European Summit conference organised by the Oeconomus Economic Research Foundation and the Center for Fundamental Rights on 15 April, participants analysed the economic and political challenges facing the region. Deputy State Secretary Dr Ádám Csepeti stressed the need for a Hungarian connectivity strategy, while Estonian party leader Martin Helme criticised the political and ideological tendencies of the European Union that marginalise nation states. The panel discussion entitled “What have the Brusselians ever done for us?” examined the results of EU membership for the region and how centralisation in Brussels, migration policy, green transition or the use of cohesion funds as a political instrument can be reconciled with the sovereignty of member states and the effective representation of national interests.
Csepeti: It is necessary to adapt to a turbulent world
Hungary has to adapt to the turbulent changes in the global economy if it wants to be among the winners, stressed Dr Ádám Csepeti, Deputy State Secretary Responsible for Coordinating Strategic Affairs. He underlined that the United States has challenged globalisation through the newly introduced tariffs, triggering a major transformation.
Csepeti was concerned about the EU’s competitiveness gap, which he said was beginning to resemble the Soviet Union’s complacency. According to World Bank data, the EU’s share of global GDP fell from 28% in 1990 to 18% in 2023, while the US and China account for 26% and 17% respectively. The IMF predicts slow (1.8%) EU growth in 2024 (US: 2.8%, China: 4.8%), citing excessive social spending, red tape and lack of investment in R&D as the causes. The Draghi report also pointed to competitiveness gaps. Csepeti warned that if this continues, the EU could face an existential crisis.
Hungary’s response is a strategy based on connectivity: not to become isolated, but to remain open between East and West and serve as a bridge amidst the economic tension between the US and China. This is exemplified by the simultaneous presence of German and Chinese car manufacturers in Hungary. The aim is to maintain pragmatic relations with Germany and to conclude a bilateral economic agreement with the US, an important investor in Hungary.
Helme: Current trends in Europe are worrying, but the future belongs to nation states
Martin Helme, chairman of the Estonian Conservative People’s Party (EKRE) says the current situation is worrying on several fronts: in addition to economic difficulties, bureaucracy and inflation, he is critical of the way political leaders communicate and the prevailing narratives, for example on migration and climate change. He expressed concern about restrictions on freedom of expression and pressures in public debates, which he said make it impossible to have an honest dialogue on important issues.
The Estonian politician criticised the leadership and policies of the European Union, especially the Commission. He believes that EU policy is too one-sided and ideological, which pushes traditional values and national cultures into the background. He likened the ‘Net Zero’ climate plan to excessive interventions by planned economies.
He sees hope in the resistance of member states, citing Hungary and other countries critical of the EU’s central policies as examples. Helme is optimistic about the future: he predicts the advance of national forces and political change. He believes that current political trends are losing support. He called for deep institutional reforms in the EU, or even a complete rethink of the role of some institutions.
Panel discussion: “What have the Brusselians ever done for us?”
The second panel discussion looked at what tangible results the once promising EU accession has brought to the region, and what kind of change of direction is needed to make the Brussels institutions more effective in serving the interests of these nations. The discussion was moderated by István Loránd Szakáli, Strategic Director at the Oeconomus Economic Research Foundation, and featured Ernő Schaller-Baross, Hungarian MEP (Patriots for Europe), Branko Grims, Slovenian MEP (EPP) and Ivica Bocevski, former Deputy Prime Minister of North Macedonia for European Affairs.
Brussels centralisation versus national interests
In addition to praising the symbolic significance of the fall of the Iron Curtain, Ernő Schaller-Baross expressed his concerns about the trends in Brussels over the past 10-15 years. In his view, an attempt is being made to build a federalist, supranational state. He strongly argued that democratic legitimacy belongs to the freely elected national governments of the EU and that the veto power of the member states is therefore an essential instrument of sovereignty. He criticised the European Commission, which he said was increasingly acting like a political decision-maker, abandoning its role as guardian of the treaties and pursuing policies – such as on migration – for which it had not been given a mandate by the member states and which often ran counter to the spirit of the EU’s founding treaties.
Ideological debates
Branko Grims drew attention to the harmful effects of mass migration and the open borders policy, saying that Europe is gradually losing its Christian identity and roots. He likened the Green Deal to a “watermelon”: “green on the outside but red on the inside”, suggesting that behind the environmental goals lie left-wing, centralising economic and social interests. He recalled that the EU was founded on the free will of nation states, but that in recent years the Brussels bureaucracy has tried to empty the powers of member states. He argued that nation states should “take Europe back from the central institutions of the EU”.
The stalled enlargement process
Ivica Bocevski represented the perspective of a long-time candidate country, North Macedonia. He underlined the fact that his country has been an official candidate since 2005, but the actual accession negotiations have still not started. According to Bocevski, the accession process is driven too much by political interests and puts less emphasis on taking strategic and geopolitical realities into account. He sees the EU as having missed a historic opportunity to prevent wars in Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, and as having again failed to accelerate the integration of the Western Balkans after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which would be essential if the EU is to become a real geopolitical player. He stressed that the North Macedonian society remains committed to European integration and that the accession of small nations would strengthen the Union itself.
Cohesion funds: development tool or political weapon?
Ernő Schaller-Baross pointed out that the cohesion policy cannot be considered a one-sided gift, as in return the Central and Eastern European countries have opened their sensitive markets to stronger Western European competitors, which has meant significant economic transformation and challenges. He cited as a successful example that Hungary has become an important centre for the global automotive industry. At the same time, the European Commission – an “unelected government” – is increasingly turning cohesion and recovery funds into a tool for political pressure, withholding resources from member states that refuse to accept the political line taken by the Brussels headquarters, for example on migration or other sensitive social issues.
In this context, Branko Grims assessed the oft-voiced practice of “fact-checking” as an imposition of a left-wing narrative and a covert restriction on freedom of expression. Ivica Bocevski cited political developments after the 2018 referendum on the name change in North Macedonia as an example of how external pressure can override democratic processes.
Final messages
The panel discussion concluded with Ivica Bocevski stressing the importance of the unity of the continent with the slogan “Let’s make Europe great again”, urging the integration of the Western Balkans to be completed as soon as possible. Branko Grims, referring to the American political processes, suggested that the EU should follow a policy of putting national interests and traditional values first: it should eliminate “Marxist ideologies”, defend its borders and review the Green Deal. Ernő Schaller-Baross’ concluding slogan – “More Orbán, less Ursula” – clearly expressed the need for a policy emphasising national sovereignty over centralising ambitions.
