The years-long political conflict between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and the European Union appears to have reached its peak.
Conservative hero Orban is deeply loathed by Brussels for the same reasons we care about him – defending family values, national culture, rejecting climate alarmist insanity, and unchecked suicidal mass migration – oh, yeah, and the icing on the cake: refusing to fund proxy war. Against Russia in Ukraine.
The Hungarian Prime Minister is also not a fan of the EU as it stands now, as we can learn from his already classic assessment:
“Today, things appear that remind us of the Soviet era. Yes, history happens to repeat itself. Fortunately, what was once a tragedy is now a comedy at best. Brussels is not Moscow. Moscow was a tragedy. Brussels is just a bad contemporary parody.”
And so it happens that a group of EU lawmakers want to punish Hungary by moving one step closer to suspending Budapest's vote in the bloc.
Reuters reported:
“One hundred and twenty of the European Parliament's 705 members signed the letter after Orban blocked the bloc's budget review in December that included giving Ukraine 50 billion euros ($55 billion) in new financial aid until 2027.”
An EU summit in December brought tensions to a boil: the Hungarian prime minister “left the room” to facilitate a vote to start membership talks with Ukraine, but on the same day he exercised his veto power – he announced – and vetoed a massive aid package. For Ukraine. War-torn Kiev.
Of course, the globalist MEPs will use the “rule of law” excuse, which is nothing but new language, to “follow Brussels’ crazy, suicidal policies to the letter.”
“The letter shows a clear desire in Parliament to trigger Article 7.2 TEU,” said the letter's author, Finnish MEP Petri Sarvaama, referring to the next step in the disciplinary steps outlined in Article 7 of the EU Treaty for states that do not respect the rule of law. .
“But above all, it highlights the urgent need to address Viktor Orbán’s actions,” said Sarvama, of the center-right European People’s Party, the largest faction in the current European legislature.
The European Commission's decision led to the unfreezing of billions of dollars in financial support provided by the European Union to Budapest in December. The money had been parked for years.
But Orban continues to come under pressure “on migrant rights, the LGBT community, freedom of courts and academics.”
He also criticized the sanctions imposed by the European Union on Moscow and the financial and military support for Ukraine.
“[EU leaders] They will meet again in Brussels on February 1 to try again to secure a €50 billion support package for Ukraine. If Hungary's vote in the EU is suspended as a result of the Article 7 process, aid to Ukraine could be agreed more easily.
Euronews reported:
“The Hungarian Prime Minister angered his fellow leaders when he carried out his threat to veto a proposed €50 billion fund to provide Ukraine with total financial aid between 2024 and 2027.
Approval of the special fund, known as the Ukraine Facility, has become a matter of great urgency, as Brussels has already run out of money to send to Kiev and Washington is stuck in a legislative impasse with no breakthrough in sight.
Leaders are scheduled to meet again on February 1 to either give the green light to the facility or come up with an alternative plan. Before the deadline, Hungarian officials made several demands in exchange for lifting the veto.
Hungary has been subject to Chapter 1 of Article 7 since 2018, and must explain the “situation” at regular hearings.
“Now, the group of 120 MEPs – out of a total of 705 – wants to trigger the second step of Article 7, where EU leaders, acting unanimously, can determine “the existence of a serious and continuing violation” of fundamental values.
[…] Lawmakers say the move could take Hungary to the third stage of Article 7, where the council could vote to suspend “certain” rights enjoyed by the accused state, including voting rights to pass legislation and agree on common positions.
Read more:
PM Orban says EU is 'blackmailing' Hungary and withholding funds over Budapest's stance on Ukraine's membership and aid.