By: V4 Agency
Exercising its right safeguarded by EU treaties, the government has vetoed the EU’s multiannual financial framework which – had it been accepted – would remove all the obstacles from linking EU payouts to member states’ support of immigration, the Hungarian prime minister said in a statement sent to Hungary’s state news agency (MTI) on Wednesday.
“Those who defend their borders and protect their country from migration can no longer be seen in Brussels as states governed by the rule of law. Accepting the current proposal would remove all the obstacles from linking the disbursement of EU funds to member states’ support of pro-migration policies, and blackmailing anti-migration countries with budgetary intruments,” Hungary’s prime minister said, explaining Hungary’s decision to veto legislation on the EU’s next budget by exercising its right to veto guaranteed in EU treaties.
Viktor Orban underlined that during the debate, Hungary acted in line with the principles of loyal cooperation, predictability and transparency, and showed willingness to compromise all along, despite the fact that the country has never considered joint borrowing as an adequate instrument to tackle the economic crisis. The prime minister stated: “We only accepted the compromise reached in July 2020 because we are committed to European solidarity and support that states in need of financial assistance should be able to access resources as quickly as possible.”
PM Orban underlined that Hungary was a committed proponent of rule of law, adding that the leaders of today’s ruling party have successfully fought to establish the rule of law in Hungary against the Communist dictatorship.
During the immigration debates of recent years, using the rule of law concept has become a political and ideological tool, instead of a legal one. Mr Orban sad. In the absence of objective criteria and the possibility of legal redress, no criminal proceedings can be based on that stance against a member state, he explained. “In our opinion, it would be a serious mistake to undermine European unity by linking financial and economic issues to political disputes. The introduction of any mechanism to penalise new member states is only possible by the unanimous amendment of the treaties,” the prime minister said, clarifying his position.