02/07/2024
The European Commission initiated another legal procedure against Hungary in connection with the adoption of new laws that violate EU legislation, in particular, in the sphere of the rule of law, observance of fundamental freedoms and norms of democracy.
Anita Hipper, spokeswoman for the European Commission on Internal Affairs, Migration and Internal Security, announced this today in Brussels during a press briefing, Ukrinform correspondent reports.
“The European Commission decided today to send a letter of formal notice to Hungary expressing several serious concerns about compliance with EU law. This happened after the appropriate assessment by the European Commission and the exchange of letters with Hungary at the political level regarding the so-called law on the protection of national sovereignty, as well as the Hungarian law regulating the financing of political parties,” the spokeswoman said.
According to her, the European Commission has come to the conclusion that these Hungarian laws violate EU legislation, in particular with regard to democracy and electoral rights of EU citizens, observance of fundamental rights in accordance with the EU Charter on Human Rights, EU law in the field of data protection, etc. In addition, according to the European Commission, the creation of a specialized body in Hungary with a wide range of powers in the field of monitoring the implementation of this national legislation, as well as with an executive function regarding the application of sanctions for its violation, seriously harms democracy in Hungary.
Hipper noted that, according to the procedure, Hungary now has two months to prepare a response to this letter of formal notice from the European Commission.
Another spokesman for the European Commission, Balazs Ujvari, whose powers include issues of the budget and human resources, recalled that the European Commission sent a warning about existing violations of EU legislation to Hungary as early as April 2022, as part of the implementation of the principle of conditionality of budget payments on compliance with the rule of law year After that, in December 2022, according to the decision of the European Council, the payment of the amount of 6.3 billion euros from the regional development fund, which was intended for Hungary, was blocked.
“In order for this mechanism (conditionality) to be activated, it is necessary that a violation of one or more principles of the rule of law or the protection of the EU’s financial interests within the framework of the EU’s common budget has been recorded. On this basis, we had several meetings with the Hungarian authorities after the decisions of the European Council at the end of 2022. This dialogue continues, the Hungarian side informs us what is happening. The European Commission is always ready to evaluate corrective measures,” Ujvari said.
He recalled that in December 2023, after evaluating Hungary’s legal efforts, the European Commission unlocked an amount of 10.2 billion euros for Hungary within the framework of the EU Regional Development Fund, which was officially announced. At the same time, as of today, the amount of budget payments within the framework of regional development programs, RePowerEU and other EU programs intended for Hungary remain blocked, precisely due to the application of the mechanism of making such payments subject to compliance with the rule of law.
“Hungary made efforts to unblock the remaining funds. But there was no significant development during the past weeks or months… That is why we have to remind about the conclusions that were given to Hungary in 2022 and related to different policy directions and conflict of interests,” added the spokesperson of the European Commission.
As already reported, on the eve of the decisions of the European Council on the start of negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova on EU membership (December 14, 2023), as well as on the creation of the Ukrainian Fund in the amount of 50 billion euros in the long-term budget of the EU for 2024-2027 (February 1, 2024 2014), in his public rhetoric, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán linked his agreement to make these decisions and adhere to the consensus within the European Council on the condition of “unfreezing” the reconstruction and regional development funds intended for Hungary, the payment of which was suspended in connection with Hungary’s non-compliance with the principles of the rule of law.
“The European Commission initiated another legal procedure against Hungary in connection with the adoption of new laws that violate EU legislation, in particular, in the sphere of the rule of law, observance of fundamental freedoms and norms of democracy.”
It baffles me by the way Hungary has been making this club into a big collection of dumbbells, and that those dumbbells have been so lethargic and weak with their response to this country. I don’t know why they just don’t throw them out of the EU. Hungary is not an important country in any way at all. The EU wouldn’t see any differences with or without them. If they want to align with the mafia in mafia land and themselves become a mafia state, let them do so outside the organization. Or invade Hungary and get rid of Orb-anus and his gang.