From July to December 2024, Hungary is set to hold the presidency of the Council – much to the chagrin of the EU Parliament. In a resolution, it has now questioned whether a country with a right-wing nationalist government is fit for purpose.
The European Parliament has cast doubt on Hungary’s eligibility for the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. According to the resolution passed by the parliament, the parliament wonders whether Hungary can fulfill this task in a credible manner, given the lack of respect for the laws and values of the European Union.
The resolution was passed with 442 votes in favor, 144 votes against and 33 abstentions. The resolution is non-binding, which is why it is considered unlikely that Hungary will be removed from the EU Council presidency, which is scheduled for July 2024.
Parliament insists on “suitable solution”.
“Once again, the European Parliament unanimously expresses its deep concern about the deterioration of the rule of law in Hungary,” said responsible rapporteur Gwendoline Delbos-Garfield (Greens).
The resolution refers to “systemic corruption” in Hungary. In addition, the decree condemns the government and threatens the rights of teachers or LGBT+ people. Parliament called on EU member states to “find an appropriate solution as soon as possible” in view of these problems. Otherwise, Parliament may also “take appropriate steps”.
Korner: Make Pak a gardener
“In recent months, Mr Orbán’s government has almost blindly taken important legislative projects hostage at the European level in order to take away its privileges. Can a country acting like this take political leadership in Europe? That decision rests with the EU – the member states, not the European Parliament,” said MEP Monika Hohlmeier (CSU). said.
“He has doubts about the extent to which Hungary can manage a successful Council presidency,” European State Minister Anna Luhrmann (Greens) said on Tuesday. Hungary is “currently isolated in the EU because the rule of law problems are very serious.” In addition, the country has repeatedly shown its lack of support for Ukraine in the war of Russian aggression.
FDP MP Moritz Koerner put it this way beforehand: A Council Presidency for a completely isolated Hungary – in the eyes of the EU Parliament, would turn the goat into a gardener. “That would be like bullying the school principal.”
Hungary opposed the sanctions
In the European Union, every six months a different country takes the presidency of the Council of Ministers. Never before has one of the 27 member states been boycotted. Great Britain is the only country to have given up the presidency due to its decision to leave the EU in 2017. Hungary is set to take over the presidency of the Council from July to December 2024, after Belgium and before Poland.
In December, the European Commission froze almost 22 billion euros from structural funds for Hungary for the period 2021 to 2027. Background Corruption and indications of misuse of EU aid. The Hungarian government has repeatedly reversed plans for punitive measures against Russia and sought to exempt people close to the Kremlin from sanctions.
With information from Jacob Meyer, ARD Studio Brussels
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