Orbán’s cabinet: LIBE report concludes ‘show trial’ against Hungary

A report on the situation of the rule of law in Hungary approved by the European Parliament’s LIBE committee on Monday aims at pressurising the country and it is a “Soros report”, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said.

They want to pressurise Hungary in order to make the country change its position on migration, Orbán told the press after the LIBE vote.

“However, since Hungarian voters have already made a decision about this, there is nothing left to talk about”, Orban added referring to April’s election victory of the Fidesz-Christian Democrats alliance.

He said the report was prepared by Green MEP Judith Sargentini and she is on the team of US billionaire George Soros.

Brussels has conducted a “show trial” against Hungary, which now ended with a politically motivated verdict, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó said on Monday, commenting on the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) accepting the report on Hungary.

The report by Green MEP Judith Sargentini reviewed the state of the rule of law in Hungary, and said there was a “clear risk of a serious breach by Hungary of the values of the European Union”, which it said warranted launching the Article 7 procedure. The committee accepted the report with 37 votes in favour and 19 against.

Speaking in London where he attended a forum introducing stock exchange heads from the Visegrád Group countries, Szijjártó said that “trials where the verdict is written before the procedure starts are well known from Hungarian history.”

Brussels “was not interested in the truth”, he said.

Hungary and Brussels have serious conflicts regarding migration, he said. “Migration and population exchange through migration are considered assets” in Brussels, the minister said, while “we want to follow, represent and defend values such as security and the protection of families and the Christian culture, and the appreciation of labour.”

Brussels “clearly dances to [American financier] George Soros’s tune, representing his views and interests, while we in Hungary represent those of Hungarian citizens,” the minister said. Hungary will continue to stand by its anti-migration policies and protect the safety of Hungary and Hungarians, he said.

MEPs who now “pass verdict on Hungary after a show trial” have no justification to judge, qualify or attack Hungarian people, he said. Hungarian citizens will have the opportunity to voice their opinions on such politicians’ Brussels performance in next year’s EP election, he said.

Commenting on the report, Judit Varga, state secretary of the prime minister’s office, said that the report is a “political indictment” and a mockery of the rule of law.

The outcome of the vote has not come as a surprise to Hungary, she said.

“The left-liberal majority voted on a politically motivated indictment full of distortions … the report included legally unfounded, trumped-up charges,” she said.

She also criticised the fact that the document refers to numerous issues that have been concluded and that do not belong to the authority of the community. The committee failed to offer enough time and room for the Hungarian government to defend itself, she said.

“We trust that with the help of Hungary’s allies the new chapter of political witch-hunt will be closed in September,” she added referring to the EP plenary vote on the report, which is scheduled for September 12.

“In hope of a positive outcome, we will continue bilateral consultations and will continue to make every effort to prevent the application of double standards in the EU,” she added.

Ruling Fidesz MEP Kinga Gál said after the vote that they were certain the committee with a left-wing majority would approve the report which includes “factual errors, distortions and lies”. At the same time, it is a hopeful sign that it did not get two-thirds majority support, which is also a favourable sign ahead of autumn’s plenary vote, she told a press conference. She reiterated that the report represented “a clear revenge” for Fidesz’s election victory and “punishment” because the government resolutely stands by its migration policy.

Opposition Socialist MEP István Újhelyi said Fidesz was looking for an excuse to get Hungary kicked out of the EU and it disregards the serious consequences.

“This is not about the EU taking revenge for Fidesz’s anti-migrant policies,” he said, adding that one cannot enjoy the advantages granted by the European community and at the same time violate its written and unwritten rules.

Featured image: MTI

Source: MTI