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Welcome to Hard Talk on the BBC World Service with me, Stephen Sacker.

My guest today is seen as one of the rising stars of the Hungarian

government, described by her boss, nationalist populist prime minister Victor Orban, as a charm canon.

Udit Varga, Justice Minister in Budapest for the past year and a half, certainly takes no prisoners.

She is a staunch defender of a government

which the European Union views with growing consternation. Chief amongst the concerns is Hungary's

perceived failure to uphold EU values when it comes to the rule of law, an independent judiciary,

and a free media. In short, Hungary is

seen to be sliding into a form of authoritarian rule, directly contradicting the union's core

principles. The EU has the power to impose sanctions for values violations, but thus far it has

failed to do so. However, there are signs that may be

changing. Moves are afoot to tie post-COVID emergency financial aid to adherence to the rule of law.

Predictably, that has prompted a furious response in Budapest. But how far is the Orban government prepared to take its show of defiance?

Well, Justice Minister Yudit Vaga joins me now on the line from the Hungarian capital.

Welcome to Hard Talk. Good afternoon. Thank you very much for the invitation.

Minister, where is the logic in Hungary being a member of the EU club and yet refusing to accept the EU's core values and rules?

When we joined the club, the club has had the same motto as today, united in diversity.

So it means diversity of national identities is as much important as unity.

Hungary is a very strong pro-European country.

We proved it throughout the centuries.

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