0:00
Can we move quickly to family policy
0:02
Like all Western nations, Hungary's birth rate is well below replacement rate
0:08
Yet you've taken a number of steps that are almost unique in Europe
0:12
to try and boost the birth rate, tax breaks, benefits for parents
0:16
benefits for married couples. Has it worked? So one is the birth rate, as you have said
0:23
That's important. There is no kid, there is no future. That's so simple
0:28
So we need kids. But this modern lifestyle of the European people is not very much in favor of having a high number of kids and raise them, unfortunately
0:40
So we have to do something to help the young couples to be more brave, to take more responsibility, more kids
0:49
So that's one thing. But there's another issue as well, another point which I follow
0:54
And this is a kind of justice. I think it's simply not fair
1:00
That if you have kids, your living standards decline. And those who don't take that responsibility living higher standards of life than you, who took your responsibility
1:13
So what I'm doing, I try to find a way that regardless how many kids you have, your material chances and well-being should be on the same level
1:25
So that's the only reason, the only way to reach that target is to help those who have kids
1:30
So that's the reason why we have tax allowances for the families
1:34
Plus, which is absolutely unique, that mothers, at least by two kids, don't pay income tax till the end of their life
1:42
And many other programs we have. So we trust the mothers anyway
1:46
And we think that if you would like to have stronger families and more kids we have to strengthen the mothers There certainly was an uptick in the birth rate from 2010 against the European trend and the same with the marriage rate which has gone up a lot But it still a long way from replacement level
2:04
as it is in all of Europe. Do you think Hungary is actually going to have to turn
2:07
to immigration for demographic challenge? I think finally we will win that battle
2:15
and I think the young generation will come back to the pattern of our grandparents
2:23
And we will have again, basically, strong and big families in Hungary
2:28
And we will no need to have any kind of extra people coming from migration
2:34
So I still strongly believe that we can maintain ourselves on our national basis
2:40
But it takes time. It's basically a kind of battle of beliefs
2:49
And I have a strong belief. A lot of people in Britain particularly think that discussions about family and birth rate and marriage are none of the government's business
2:58
That these kind of family policies are regressive. They're an affront to women's rights
3:03
The government just shouldn't be getting involved. What do you say to them? I think basically they are right
3:07
So we have to be very cautious. You know, Hungarians are even more sensitive than the British ones
3:12
I think so. So, you know, my castle is my house. This is the basic philosophy here
3:17
If the government try to help in a way which the people think is too aggressive, they reject immediately
3:24
And I think they are right, which is a sensitive issue. Because, you know, of course we are speaking about the future of the nation when we speak about the kids
3:32
But at the same time we are speaking on private matter. So private matter is private matter
3:36
So we have to find very sophisticated instruments how we can help the families
3:44
But I think it's legitimate for the government to think about the families and the future of the nation, but not legitimate to interfere into their life
