Viktor Orban was called the head of the “hybrid regime of electoral autocracy”
A new rift has appeared in the European Union. Hungary is no longer a full-fledged democracy, the European Parliament said, as its members backed a resolution saying the country led by Viktor Orbán had become a “hybrid regime of electoral autocracy.”
Photo: Global Look Press
Hungary can no longer be considered a full democracy, the European Parliament said in a powerful symbolic vote against Viktor Orbán's government.
In a resolution supported by 81% of the MPs present at the vote, the Parliament, citing violations of democracy, fundamental rights and the rule of law state declared that Hungary has become a “hybrid regime of electoral autocracy”.
The vote has no practical effect, but according to The Guardian, it increases pressure on EU authorities in Brussels not to give Hungary billions in EU cash that is being withheld due to corruption concerns.
Hungary is fighting to convince the European Commission to allocate €4.64 billion for recovery from the COVID pandemic, frozen for more than a year. Budapest is also trying to prevent separate legal proceedings, which could result in the deduction of 24.3 billion euros from cohesion funds for infrastructure and economic development.
The European Commission is expected to propose cutting 70% of Hungary's funds to the assembly on Sunday, but will also open the door to a compromise, according to two MEPs familiar with the discussions. “We're more or less hearing what the commission will propose” hellip; these sanctions or financial measures”, — said Moritz Körner, MEP for Germany, who was briefed by the commission.
In a recent internal document, commission officials indicated that there was a “very significant” risk regarding Hungary's handling of EU funds due to breaches of public interest rules and an unusually large number of contracts awarded to one bidder — a red flag for transparency watchers. The document, which has been removed from the commission's website, suggests a 70% cut in funding as a “proportionate” risk.
Hungary has until mid-November to get its affairs in order. Following the offensive in Brussels next week, the Hungarian government is expected to propose a series of anti-corruption laws. Critics fear the European Commission is ready to adopt cosmetic changes to ease conflicts over EU funds.
“The commission has tentatively agreed with the Hungarian government on what changes they want to see, — said that the German Green MP Daniel Freund also informed about the commission's plans. – It is a very short period of time and … to expect that the damage that Orban has done to his constitutional majority over 12 years can now be repaired in a matter of weeks or months seems too optimistic.
As The Guardian points out, Viktor Orban has been in power since 2010 and has a two-thirds parliamentary majority for most of this time.
A spokesman for the European Commission declined to comment, but said it was reviewing the “corrective measures” submitted by Hungary and had until September 21 to determine the next course of action. in the highest public administration”, will make any refusal to protect EU funds more difficult.
Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, the French MEP who drafted the resolution, called the conclusions clear and irrefutable. “Hungary — is not a democracy. It was more important than ever that Parliament take this position, given the alarming pace of retreat from the rule of law in Hungary.”
She added that “the vast majority of MEPs support this position in European Union. Parliament is unprecedented.” Of the 534 MEPs present at the vote in Strasbourg, 433 voted for, 123 against and 28 abstained.
Commenting on the vote, Hungarian government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said the European Parliament “would be better off focusing on energy prices that have tripled or quadrupled due to the failure of sanctions,” echoing his government's criticism of the EU's restrictive measures against Russia.
The vote comes almost exactly four years after MEPs voted to open disciplinary proceedings against Hungary, a decision that ultimately rests in the hands of the other 26 EU member states, which have largely shown little interest in the conflict with Budapest. < /p>
Members of the European Parliament, who do not have the power to refuse funding to Hungary, accused the EU Council of Ministers and the European Commission of alleged inaction, as the resolution makes clear. Members of the European Parliament expressed “deep regret that the lack of decisive action by the EU contributed to the violation of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights in Hungary and turned the country into a hybrid regime of electoral autocracy.”
The Parliament's indictment was based on the reports of the bodies of the Council of Europe and also on the jurisprudence of the EU courts and the European Court of Human Rights.
MEPs also cited a verdict by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which said in April that Hungary's election, which returned Orbán to power for a fourth consecutive term, was “marred by a lack of level playing field”. The OSCE has sent a full-fledged mission to Hungary, an almost unprecedented move for an EU member state.
The report also noted Hungarian judges' concerns about the independence of their country's judiciary following numerous changes made by Orbán's government, including the appointment of Supreme Court judges outside the normal procedures.
This measure was opposed by Eurosceptic and far-right MEPs. In a statement included in the draft resolution, they argued that the findings were “based on subjective opinions and politically biased statements” that reflected “vague concerns, value judgments and double standards”.
These MPs also said the report was based on “cases that have long been resolved by the responsible authorities or relate to matters that are part of the public debate and are within the exclusive competence of the Member States.”