Members of the Bundestag from Scholz’s Social Democratic Party, the Greens and the Free Democratic Party – the three parties in the ruling coalition – have called for the suspension of the EU’s 7.5 billion payment to Hungary if Budapest does not demonstrate a serious understanding of the rule of law. Rolitico writes about it
Germany’s three ruling parties have called on Chancellor Olaf Scholz to ‘thoroughly’ study Hungary’s rule of law reforms and support giving Hungary billions from the EU only if it can prove it is serious about solving its rule of law problems.
The publication emphasizes that the EU countries will decide next month whether Hungary will receive about 7.5 billion euros of EU funds, given the compliance with all the mandatory conditions. Similarly, the EU is holding back Hungary’s access to €5.8 billion in coronavirus treatment funds and is demanding further judicial reforms before disbursing the money.
And there are reasons for this. In particular, anti-corruption activists in Budapest warned this week that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is deceiving the EU with promises of reforms that experts and activists say are insufficient.
‘There are serious doubts about the political will of the Hungarian government to carry out reforms not in words, but in deed,’ the parliamentary appeal says.
Voting in the EU Council on awarding payments to countries is taken jointly. But since some countries have already taken a critical position towards Hungary, a negative vote by Germany could have a decisive effect on the blocking of funds.
The EU will change the legislation to provide Ukraine with the first funds from 18 billion macrofins already in January. Hungary – against.
