Five EP party groups turn to EC over Hungary’s amendments to whistleblower protection, teachers’ status law
Five party groups of the European Parliament turned to the European Commission, expressing their concerns on amendments to Hungary’s Whistleblower Protection Act, which the national parliament adopted on April 11.
The letter signed by leaders of the Greens/EFA Group, the European People’s Party, the Renew Europe group, The Left Group and the Socialists and Democrats noted that the amendments allowed reports on “activities going against the Hungarian way of life and the Fundamental Law, including activities violating the constitutionally recognised role of marriage and the family”.
“We consider these provisions, once implemented, pose a serious threat to the rights of LGBTIQ people and to freedom of expression,” they said.
Further, the letter said Hungary’s draft law on the legal status of those employed in public education and the amendment of certain related laws would “drastically restrict the fundamental rights of the teachers, their freedom of expression, exceedingly decrease their professional autonomy and drastically curtail their labor rights including their right to strike.”
“In our view, [the legislation] clearly makes it impossible to give a positive assessment of the first payment request under the Recovery and Resilience Plan,” the letter said.
Signatories also called on suspending payments to Hungary under the EU’s ESF+ Programme, saying that Hungary had failed to meaningfully consult trade unions on teachers’ wage reform.
“Equality, human dignity and fundamental rights are the core of the founding of the EU, and we trust your commitment to take effective action when a Member State deliberately breaches these EU values,” the letter said.
As we wrote on Monday, teacher and student protesters scuffle with police, video.
That’s five (5) out of seven (7) political groups of the European Parliament sending a clear signal:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/about-parliament/en/organisation-and-rules/organisation/political-groups
Only the Identity and Democracy group (fun bunch of nationalist, right wing populist Eurosceptics) and the European Conservatives and Reformists group (dominated by Poland’s Law & Justice (PiS) party) did not join.
Not a great sign when most members of your club basically tell you they don’t want to have a beer with you at Friday drinks.
Orban just GOES on – exhibiting his total ERADICATION of DEMOCRACY in Hungary.
This article AGAIN highlights the THINKING process – ways in a DICTATORSHIP operate.
We again – with RIGHTFULLNESS appear to have increased need of DECISION making out of Brussels.
European Union v Hungary – keep heating it up Victor Orban I say, because there can be just one WINNER and that won’t be YOU nor Hungary, who as a country you continue to TRASH our name – WRONGFULLY.
Democracy in Hungary represents the majority. Both Vexatious and Norbert refuse to accept the fact that there are and have been for a long-time protection of LGBT members. It is also the will of the people, the majority, that marriage is between two people a man and woman. It would be unjust to force the views of a minority on the majority. Now that would be dictatorship. All majority governments could be considered dictatorships, whether in Canada, US or any other country.
It is time that EU nations start solving their problems in their own countries. There are large demonstration in the UK, Germany, France and by farmers in Holland. Italy is stuck with large number of illegal aliens and are being supported by Italian taxpayers. There are problems of safety and protection of Jewish people all over the EU, except Hungary.
So, instead of criticizing a country with a successful society, all EU members should try to imitate the successful society.
This Law (the Whistleblower Protection Act), about “…activities going against the Hungarian way of life” and etc, sounds very much like reporting your neighbour, your co-worker, even your disliked relatives, and you’ll be protected, sounds like something coming out of the Communist era Hungary and the former East Germany(GDR).
…So nice to finally have freedom and Democracy.