Hungarian EU commissioner undermines rule of law reforms in EU accession countries?
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The “politically motivated attack” on Olivér Várhelyi, the EU commissioner for neighbourhood and enlargement, is “unfair” as “his performance is extraordinary and he represents the EU’s official stance in official statements”, a Fidesz MEP said on Wednesday.
Kinga Gál responded to a passage of the European Parliament’s annual report on the implementation of the common foreign and security policy, proposing an investigation into whether Várhelyi’s conduct constituted “a breach of the Code of Conduct for the Members of the Commission and of the Commissioner’s obligations under the Treaties”. The report also expressed concerns that Várhelyi possibly “deliberately seeks to circumvent and undermine the centrality of democratic and rule of law reforms in EU accession countries”.
Gál said in a statement that the measure was “whipping up hysterics” against Várhelyi, “possibly to deflect from a corruption scandal in connection with a leftist politician.”
She pointed to a statement by the European Commission saying that Várhelyi was using the EU’s methodology prioritising respect for democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights.
She called the resolution “an EP report typical of NGOs”, and said they were harming the unity of EU foreign policy.
“The extraordinarily unfair criticism levelled at … Olivér Várhelyi, who has revitalised the EU’s enlargement policy, is unacceptable,” she said.
“Anti-enlargement leftists” are accusing Várhelyi without presenting evidence, and possibly hobbling EU enlargement in the process, Gál said. Regarding member state candidates, Várhelyi routinely considers practical and economically advantageous factors such as infrastructure and energy development, green transition and a readiness to contributing to key investments, she said.
