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In a vote on Thursday, January 18, the majority of members of the European Parliament (EP) backed a non-binding resolution calling on other European Union (EU) countries to use a clause in the EU treaties to assess whether Hungary has committed serious acts and long-standing violations of EU values, calling on the EU Council to consider depriving Hungary of its voting rights in EU matters. The resolution also reportedly calls for an appeal to the EU court against the European Commission (EC) in connection with the freezing of funds for Hungary Politico.
345 MPs voted to adopt the resolution, 104 were against and 29 abstained.
The decision came ahead of an upcoming summit of EU leaders to try to persuade Hungary to reconsider its position on EU funding for war-torn Ukraine.
Hungarian Liberal MP Katalin Cseh announced that the EP’s vote confirms the commitment to defending the rule of law in the EU and stressed her position against possible blackmail attempts by Prime Minister Viktor Orban. She expressed the opinion that
The EC must now deal with the self-inflicted consequences of undermining EU values.
Orbán previously accused MPs of wanting to “take away people’s right to decide their future,” he said on the website Xstressing that this is an anti-democratic position.
The vote in the EP has no legal force as the adoption of such measures does not fall within the competence of the Parliament. But it serves as a political signal, underscoring MPs’ frustration with Prime Minister Orbán’s withdrawal from the rule of law and how little the EU has done about it.
MEPs’ call to take action against the EC before the Court of Justice of the European Union
is related to the outrage over the Commission’s decision to release 10.2 billion euros for Hungary. The Legal Affairs Committee, together with Parliament’s Legal Service, will examine the feasibility of initiating such a procedure, first asking the Court to review the legality of the Commission’s freezing of funds.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told MPs this week that the move was justified, but angered some MPs by leaving the room before the end of the debate.
However, the EP did not support the Renew Europe group’s proposal to threaten the Commission with a withdrawal of confidence if more money is released to Hungary.
It is also said that the offer by the left-wing extremist parties to stop Hungary’s EU Council Presidency, which will take place alternately from July to December this year, has failed Politically.
Also read: On the eve of the EU summit, the EC provides 10.2 billion euros for Hungary
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