Hungarian PM calls for change in European Parliament address

Brussels, Oct 10
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that the European Union (EU) needs to change if the bloc wants to be able to face its challenges.

Orban, whose country currently holds the rotating EU Council presidency, made the remarks at a European Parliament session on Wednesday in Strasbourg, France.

He highlighted competitiveness as a key issue for the country's presidency. Orban criticised the EU's green transition plan, noting that moving away from Russian fossil fuels has hurt the EU's GDP growth, according to Xinhua news agency.

On migration, Orban called for stronger support for EU countries on the bloc's external borders and criticised the EU's handling of illegal migration. He proposed the creation of a regular Schengen summit to address the challenge.

Orban also called for accelerating the EU's accession procedures for Western Balkan countries.