Austria supports Belgium’s call to deprive Hungary of its voting rights, as Budapest’s six-month presidency of the EU Council will begin in July, Austrian Foreign Ministry said, Politico reported on June 4.
“We expect all 27 EU members to fully respect principles on which our common Union is based,” he said.
He noted that this is especially true for the upcoming EU presidency.
“On this basis, we support the strict continuation of the Article 7 procedure with regard to Hungary,” FM represantative added.
Tensions and talks in Ukrainian-Hungarian relations
Relations between Hungary and Ukraine have been tense, particularly over issues of minority rights in the Zakarpattya Oblast. During a Jan. 11 visit to Uzhhorod, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, alongside Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba and the Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak, engaged in talks that lasted over six hours. The discussions concluded with an agreement to address minority rights, with a special commission set to outline unresolved issues within ten days.
Szijjártó has been vocal about Ukraine’s alleged infringements on the rights of Hungarian minorities, stating that Hungary would block Ukraine-NATO cooperation until these issues are resolved. Kuleba accused Hungary of “fundamentally promoting the issue of national minorities” in its policies on Nov. 7, 2023.
Interactions between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban have been limited. He never discussed a ceasefire or negotiations with Russian leader Vladimir Putin with Orban, Zelenskyy reported on Dec. 19.
He accepted an invitation from Zelenskyy for talks, following a brief interaction at Argentina’s President Javier Milei inauguration on Dec. 10., Orban alleged on Dec. 21, however.
“I told him that I would be at his service. We only need to clarify one question: about what,” Hungarian PM said then.
“On this basis, we support the strict continuation of the Article 7 procedure with regard to Hungary,” FM represantative added.
It’s 10 years too late, but it needs doing, now! In fact they need to be kicked out, then we will see how they survive without EU handouts.
After over two years of Hungary being sand in the EU gearbox, they are starting this discussion. Knowing the EU, it’ll take another two years before it’ll be put up for a vote, and then another two years to be implemented.