By: V4 Agency
Swedish politicians have voiced sharp criticism against Poland and Hungary over the two countries’ recent political vetoes. They say the two countries are playing an ugly game, prompting the question of whether they are part of the European cooperation.
In Sweden the exit of Hungary and Poland from the EU has become part of the public discourse. The two countries are attacked by a growing number of liberal politicians for refusing to incorporate an undefined concept – suitable to trigger political attacks – as a pre-condition into the budget.
“Rule of law could be replaced with any other value”
Compiling blacklists, abuse of power, disregard for EU treaties are just a few examples of what the EU has turned a blind eye to….
In recent weeks, a veto by Hungary and Poland regarding the EU’s budget and recovery fund caused quite a stir in the bloc, providing a reason for the left wing and the liberals to launch attacks against the two countries. Helene Fritzon, MEP of the Swedish Social Democratic Party, said that Hungary and Poland were playing a very ugly game, putting the European Union in a grave situation.
Swedish Moderate Party MEP Tomas Tobe,holds a similar view. He said the EU must stick to its principles and it mustn’t allow two countries to continue with their current policies.
Reacting to the idea that Hungary and Poland should exit the EU in a recent interview with Sveriges Radio, Tobe said they did not want to expel the two states, but if the issue drags on, it becomes an open question whether they are part of the European cooperation.
The Polish and Hungarian vetoes were triggered by Brussels’ willingness to link the disbursement of EU funds to the fulfilment of the “rule of law criteria”. However, as Europe has no unified definition for the rule of law, it practically becomes an instrument to penalise member states that often go against the EU’s mainstream policies.