FILE PHOTO: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrives as French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to the media before the informal meeting of European Union leaders in Salzburg, Austria, September 20, 2018. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a strong critic of the European Union, welcomed on Tuesday French President Emmanuel Macron’s initiative for talks on reforming the bloc, saying it was “high time we speak seriously about Europe’s future”.

In an emailed statement to Reuters, Orban said of the initiative:

“This could mark the beginning of a serious European debate... In the details, of course, we have differences of views, but far more important than these differing opinions is that this initiative be a good start to a serious and constructive dialogue on the future of Europe.”