Fidesz MEP’s message to EU: ‘Pay every euro cent Hungary is entitled to’

Hungary must receive “every euro cent it is entitled to”, an MEP of ruling Fidesz said on Wednesday, adding that “ideological blackmail” was unacceptable.

Balázs Hidvéghi said at the European Parliament’s plenary session in a debate on the rule of law in Hungary that the EP wanted to suspend the country’s voting rights because they didn’t agree on important political matters. “This is rock bottom. Only autocrats and dictators do such things,” he said.

Regarding Ukraine, Hidvéghi called for an immediate ceasefire and peace talks. Member states should support Ukraine independently from the EU’s budget, and not from a joint loan, he said, adding that Hungary was ready to contribute to such a facility from its own budget resources.

Fidesz MEP Ádám Kósa noted that according to the European Commission, Hungary has fulfilled all rule of law requirements regarding the judiciary, and warned that the EP had “no role in those issues”. He also slammed the European leftist parties for a “revenge campaign” against Hungary solely because a Christian Democrat, civic government had won four consecutive elections there with a two-thirds support. “If MEPs indeed apply no double standards, they should stand up against violations of the law on Poland, to show they are truly concerned for the rule of law.”

Katalin Cseh, an MEP of opposition Momentum, said the EC was unaware of the “damage they caused by giving in to Viktor Orban’s blackmail.” She said the step would become an “encouragement not only for the Hungarian prime minister but for all authoritarian leaders to do the same.”

Besides the judiciary reform praised by the EC, Hungary also adopted a Sovereignty Protection Act, which she said would hinder the work of international NGOs, gag free media and everyone who would “stand up against the regime”. “The EP can’t remain silent, because we are the last ones protecting democratic values,” she said.

Márton Gyöngyösi, an MEP of the opposition Jobbik – Conservatives, called it “extremely detrimental” to Hungary that “Orban’s politics resulted in such initiatives as the suspension of voting rights in the EU Council, stripping Hungary of the EU presidency, or withholding EU funds.”

While the EU institutions stood up for democratic values, “they also override sections of the treaties with politically motivated initiatives,” he warned. “If they really want to do something against Orban and his regime, they shouldn’t shame Hungary as a whole and propose measures that hit all Hungarians, but rather ones targeting the leader of the regime and his oligarchs,” Gyöngyösi said.

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