European Parliament threatens Orbán’s “blackmail” and sues the Commission to unblock funds

A large majority of the European Parliament, excluding far-right forces, condemns Viktor Orbán’s EU “blackmail” and threatens to take the European Commission to Court of Justice (CJEU) to unblock 10.2 billion euros . They believe that this has happened without Hungary fulfilling its commitments regarding the rule of law. Orbán’s blockade of the review of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), with which the EU intends to finance Ukraine with 50 billion euros until 2027, in addition to re-adjusting some budget items, has led the President of the European Commission to Also gave rise to the MEP debate. , Ursula von der Leyen, who has left out a good part of it, but who in her early intervention reassured that “a solution to the 27 will be possible” at the extraordinary European Council on 1 February.

But the proposal being negotiated with the Hungarian government, which would mean that this aid would be divided into packages worth 12.5 billion annually outside the MFP and which would allow Orbán to increase the price of unlocking every year, raises many doubts. Is. This is expressed by MEPs from the European People’s Party, Social Democrats (S&D), Liberals (Renew), Greens (Greens/EFA) and Left (The Left/GUE), who have signed the joint resolution. Furthermore, they demand the European Council to step in in the application of Article 7 – as the European Parliament had already demanded in 2018 – and which could end with the suspension of Hungary’s vote.

“We deeply regret that the Council has not made significant progress in the ongoing procedures under Article 7(1) of the Treaty on European Union,” the text says. Belgian Foreign Affairs Minister Hadja Lahbib, who holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council, announced that a new hearing with Hungary would be held on the basis of that procedure in June. However, this measure requires unanimity to be implemented and Orbán has until now had an unbreakable partner, which was Poland of Law and Justice. Now, Slovak populist Robert Fico has already predicted that he would not support such a measure and has made clear his relationship with Orbán.

Aware of this difficult situation, MEPs have focused on unlocking funds for Hungary. Brussels backed the disbursement of 10.2 billion euros to Budapest in December after Orban threatened to block the opening of accession talks with Ukraine, the EU’s great political milestone in its support for Volodymyr Zelensky. The Prime Minister walked out of the European Council chamber to allow that decision to be taken; But retained the veto on the revision of the multiannual financial framework.

The European Chamber’s proposal, which will be voted on this Thursday but has a majority to proceed, orders the Legal Affairs Committee to analyze the case against the European Commission before the CJEU, noting that making that disbursement The conditions for were not met. .While the Community Government says it has complied with the changes in its judicial reform. “That’s what we demanded and Hungary complied. “The commissioners kept Parliament informed and are ready to provide more information at any time,” von der Leyen said. Several MEPs have told European Commission representatives, “We will meet each other in court.”

PP spokesman Manfred Weber defended the “success” of establishing conditionality of funding for reports on the rule of law, but called for “clarity” in the process. In fact, his group has demanded clarification from the European Commission through a letter. Pedro Marx, vice president of the Social Democrats, assured that the EU “must show leadership and overcome Orbán’s blackmail.” “I hope that any sudden release of funds will not affect the February meeting,” warned Spanish ereader Garcíabal.

The liberals were even more harsh. “Succumbing to Orbán’s blackmail as was done in December cannot be repeated. The proposals that have been put on the table to split annually or to review in the medium term mean that the door will be opened for Orbán to continue blackmailing us in the years to come. Stick to the treaties, continue to play their rightful role as protectors of the treaties. They do not need to succumb to Orban’s blackmail again and again,” said Guy Verhofstadt. One step ahead was his colleague Moritz Körner. “You support Putin’s apprentice, who is Orban, and you will continue to give money to Hungary. If you do that, we are going to introduce a censure resolution against you”, practically unprecedented in European institutions. There has been a warning about an instrument and it will be at a critical moment at the end of the mandate when von der Leyen may not have guessed what she wants to repeat for the next five years, but it has a lot of support. .

However, the Commission President assured that the 20 billion blocked due to attacks on the rights of the LGTBIQ+ group, academic freedom and the right to asylum will remain in the drawer until progress is made.

“Many people believe that we are not united and that we are weak,” warned Greens co-chair Terry Reintke, referring to powers like China or the United States. “It’s the fault of the person who is willing to blackmail.” Others.” “The balance is clear: you succumb to Orbán’s whims, the water dances on you, you have kidnapped him,” said Manon Aubry (France Insoumise), co-spokesperson for The Left, who assured However, Orban “uses an excuse” but that the European budget “has long not been adequate to the challenges the EU faces” while proposing proposals such as “taxing multinationals and the richest”. has been rejected.

However, extreme right-wing groups rebelled against the European Parliament’s majority position. “There are a variety of opinions on how best to help Ukraine. We believe that a ceasefire must be achieved and that member states should be able to create a specific fund and Hungary is willing to contribute,” said Balázs Hidveghi, a government party MEP who blocked funds for Hungary. claimed, which he assured was “ideological blackmail”. ”Hungary’s proposal to withdraw the vote because we disagree with certain political positions is a new fall into the abyss of this House. What is happening? When someone disagrees with someone, do you shut them down? That is dictatorship. “Leave this crazy path,” the MP said, ignoring the authoritarian drift in the country.

“We cannot make the tragic mistake of alienating countries that are part of the European family. It seems to me short-sighted to continue the attack on Hungary. Nicola Procaccini, head of ECR ​​(Vox Group), said, “Today he is once again the target of our anger and a target of all Hungarians.”