Blockade of Hungary on the way

2023-06-02 09:11:56

European Parliament

Written by Rainer Ackerman

With 442 votes, the European Parliament adopted a statement against Hungary’s Council Presidency on Thursday. 144 MEPs voted against and another 33 politicians abstained.

Five parliamentary groups in the European Parliament (EP) tabled a joint resolution last week denouncing the Orbán government’s systematic and deliberate undermining of the fundamental values ​​of the community. In this context, it is worrying that Hungary will transfer the presidency in the second half of 2024. The majority of the EP doubts that Hungary can credibly carry out the tasks of the presidency if it does not live up to the principle of loyal cooperation itself. The heads of state and government should find solutions to avoid the problem of Hungary. At the same time, the EP threatened that it had the tools to force the European Council to take appropriate steps.

EP: Dismantling of the rule of law continues

The left-liberal majority in the EP is particularly concerned that the Orbán government is continuing to dismantle the rule of law, unperturbed by the activation of the Article 7 procedure. Furthermore, one is bothered by the past anti-EU poster campaigns commissioned by Budapest.

“An autocrat at the head of the EU? Not with us!” – proclaimed the Green MEP Daniel Freund. Source: Twitter/ Daniel Freund

The majority of MEPs specifically called on Hungary to raise elections to the level of international standards (sic!), especially with a view to the upcoming European elections in 2024. There was talk of “secret police visits” to strategic industrial companies, where business circles close to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán would like to get their foot in the door.

Fidesz speaks of bellicose leftists

Of course, Fidesz did not fail to reply. MEP Balázs Hidvéghi repeated the thesis that “the bellicose European left” is attacking Hungary because it is part of the peace camp. The political pressure exerted on Hungary in the EP has reached a new level. Depriving Hungary of the Council Presidency represents a brutal violation of the current EU treaties. “If there is a problem with the rule of law and corruption, it is here in Brussels, and not in Budapest,” Hidvéghi stated. As an example, he cited the socialist MEP Marc Tarabella, who had just been released from custody on serious corruption charges and voted in favor of the resolution against Hungary.