Hungary EU commissioner rejects remarks questioning commitment

Brussels, October 7 (MTI) – The office of Tibor Navracsics, Hungary’s European Union commissioner, has dismissed remarks by Gianni Pittella, head of the Social Democrat group in the European Parliament, suggesting that Navracsics’s voting “no” in Hungary’s recent quota referendum raises questions about his commitment to the EU.

“All statements and interviews by Tibor Navracsics make it clear that his commitment is unshaken and he has acted and will act in line with his commissioner’s oath”, the office told MTI on Friday.

Earlier in the day, Pittella asked if Navracsics was serving the interests of the whole of the EU or those of the Hungarian prime minister. He insisted that commissioners of the EU should enforce the general interests of the community, rather than those of their governments. “Remarks by Navracsics in connection with the invalid Hungarian referendum make that strongly doubtful”, Pittella said. He argued that the referendum had been aimed to thwart a European decision concerning the resettlement of migrants as well as a proposal by the European Commission – of which Navracsics is a member.

“It is problematic if Navracsics does not believe in a proposal by his own commission, or, on the contrary, if he thinks that national governments do not need to follow decisions by the whole of the EU,” Pittella said.

Source: MTI