In a move that reflects the European Union’s ongoing concerns over rule of law standards, the European Parliament has moved to propose a resolution aimed at stripping Hungary of its EU Council voting rights. Set for a decisive vote on Thursday, 18 January, this development comes after Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán vetoed a crucial financial aid package for Ukraine, potentially jeopardizing €50 billion in support for the war-torn nation.
The main focus of the resolution is to start the process outlined in Article 7.2 of the EU Treaty to remove Hungary’s voting rights. MEP Petri Sarvamaa has been vocal about the parliament’s position, emphasizing the necessity of this measure on social media. The resolution also seeks to start a parliamentary investigation into the European Commission’s decision to release €10 billion in funds for Hungary in December 2023, which has raised questions and concerns among EU lawmakers.
Article 7.2 allows the Parliament, with a two-thirds majority approval, to call on Hungary to answer before the European Council on its breaches of the rule of law. This could lead to the suspension of Hungary’s voting rights. The draft agreement of the resolution, as obtained by Euractiv, also directs the Committee on Legal Affairs to take the necessary steps to review the legality of the Commission’s decision before the Court of Justice.
“We are also sending a strong signal to the Commission: If they simply distribute billions of euros in order to evade Hungary’s vetoes, they will not get away with it. (…). Because the rule of law does not work in Hungary, the European Parliament is now launching this lawsuit against the Commission,” Green MEP Daniel Freund told Euractiv.
The European Parliament’s resolution draft, as reported by Euractiv, emphasizes the Committee on Legal Affairs’ directive to review the legality of the Commission’s actions before the Court of Justice. This legal scrutiny comes amidst accusations that the Commission gave in to what has been labeled as Hungary’s “blackmail” to unlock the funds, a decision that has sparked outrage among various political groups within the Parliament.
The resolution has received backing from most political factions in the European Parliament, such as the socialists (S&D), the Greens/EFA group, the center-right EPP, liberal Renew, and The Left group. Together, these factions seek to urge the Council to act on Hungary’s voting rights and tackle what they see as the Commission’s unjustified disbursement of funds.
Renew MEP Moritz Körner underscored the Parliament’s stance, saying, “[Commission President] Ursula von der Leyen allowed herself to be blackmailed by Viktor Orban and released 10 billion taxpayers’ money to Hungary despite massive corruption in the country. The European Parliament is not going along with this and will challenge her decision before the European Court of Justice.”
Despite the upcoming vote and the broad support for the resolution, there is opposition to restricting Hungary’s rights within the EU. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has promised to veto any measures that would limit Hungary’s rights in the Union, suggesting a possible division among member states on this controversial issue.
The Parliament aims to warn the Commission before an EU summit on 2 February and stop the executive from releasing more funds to Hungary in return for Orbán’s backing of additional financial aid for Ukraine’s defense efforts.
This week’s vote outcome will be a major indicator of the EU’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and whether it will take tangible steps to address member states that deviate from these principles. As the EU grapples with external challenges and internal divisions, the decision to potentially suspend Hungary’s voting rights stands as a pivotal moment in the bloc’s history.
Relevant articles:
– European Parliament to vote on resolution on stripping Hungary of EU voting rights
– EU Parliament wants Commission in court, Hungary stripped of voting rights, EURACTIV, Tue, 16 Jan 2024 14:15:24 GMT
– European Parliament to vote on resolution on stripping Hungary of EU voting rights on Jan. 18, Kyiv Independent, Tue, 16 Jan 2024 19:11:14 GMT