European Parliament: “Hungary systematically undermines EU’s founding values”. Doubts over its ability to take over EU six-month Presidency in July

“Deliberate, continuous and systematic efforts to undermine the founding values of the EU” - these are the accusations made by the European Parliament against Hungary in a non-binding resolution adopted by a large majority of MEPs today. What is concerning is “the further erosion of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights in Hungary”. Particularly the “national sovereignty protection package”, which, the European Parliament said in a statement, “has been compared with Russia’s infamous foreign agents law”. Parliament also regretted the Council’s failure to apply the infringement procedure provided for in the EU Treaty and criticised “Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who last December blocked the essential decision to revise the EU’s long-term budget, including the Ukraine aid package”, the statement goes on to read. The European Commission’s decision to “release up to €10.2 billion of previously frozen funds, despite Hungary not fulfilling the demanded reforms for judicial independence” is also criticised. The list of questionable actions by Hungary is so long that Parliament is questioning the Hungarian Government’s ability to take over the six-month Presidency from Belgium on 1 July 2024. Not least because if the position of the President of the European Council is vacant, the Hungarian Prime Minister will have to take on those duties. The Council should find “proper solutions to mitigate these risks”, and undertake reforms to its decision-making process to end the abuse of the right of veto.
Valentina Bombelli