Budapest – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said that his government has no plans to introduce the single European currency, the euro, in the country. He explained that adopting the euro at a time when the European Union itself faces the threat of disintegration would not be reasonable.

In an interview published by the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s podcast, Orban stated, “This issue is definitely not on my agenda.” He added, “The European Union is currently in a state of disarray, so I do not wish to tie my country’s future more tightly to it.” According to him, “Without major reforms, the European Union will remain only a temporary chapter in our lives.”

The Hungarian government has repeatedly said in recent years that the country is not yet ready to adopt the euro because it does not meet the Maastricht criteria. These standards, established under the 1992 Treaty on European Union, include indicators related to financial stability, price control, and exchange rate consistency.

Since joining the EU in 2004, Hungary has occasionally debated joining the eurozone. However, Orban emphasized that the country is not yet prepared for such a step, as it could lose control over its independent monetary and financial policy.

Currently, 20 EU member states officially use the euro as their currency. Apart from Hungary, Bulgaria, Denmark, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, and Sweden have also not adopted the euro.