French far-right MEP condemns all attacks against Hungary under the guise of the mechanism

An MEP of France’s National Rally said on Wednesday that there was a risk that the European Commission could use the European Union’s rule of law conditionality mechanism designed to protect the EU budget as a political tool against Hungary.

Helen Laport told MTI in Strasbourg that this was because there was no clear definition of what constitutes a violation of the principles of rule of law.

Commenting on a position planned to be approved at an EP plenary session concerning the situation of the rule of law in Hungary and Poland, she said that the EP’s Identity and Democracy Group had submitted an alternative draft resolution which supported Hungary.

The EP’s planned resolution refers to the rule of law but there is no generally accepted legal definition of the term, and this paves the way for vague interpretations, she said.

The MEPs that have submitted the alternative draft resolution supporting Hungary have warned that without a clear definition of the rule of law, the EC could use the conditionality mechanism as a political weapon, she said.

The alternative resolution argues that the legal authorities of various member states have different interpretations for the rule of law and there is no consensual interpretation at the EU level, she said. It also states that the EU had overstepped its authority when it approved the conditionality mechanism, she added.

She said that the conditionality mechanism was a controlled political tool and members of the ID group condemn all attacks against Hungary under the guise of the mechanism.

They consider it unacceptable that the EU could hold back funding due to Hungary and Poland, she said. Instead, the block should better recognise these countries’ efforts in receiving refugees fleeing from the Ukraine war, she added.

As we wrote in March, “The most important issue for us has been settled favourably,” Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in Versailles early on Friday, declaring that “there will be no [European Union] sanctions covering oil and gas; in other words Hungary’s energy supplies will be guaranteed in the coming period.”

• read also – French RTL: Marine Le Pen received millions of EUR from a Hungarian bank
• Hungary opened new consular office in France!