Hungary won’t compromise on its sovereignty
The EU affairs ministry’s state secretary said on Wednesday that “the left in Brussels has taken yet another step towards increasing its own power while weakening the nation states” in the European Union.
In a post on Facebook, Barna Pál Zsigmond said that “the federalist majority in the European Parliament voted to strengthen the powers of institutions in Brussels as a result of which the nation states, above all the small central European countries, will not be able to have a say when it comes to taking decisions on important matters”.
The leftist MEPs, supported by their Hungarian peers, demand scrapping unanimous decision-making which would also scrap the option of a veto, he said, adding that they “would bypass member states such as Hungary that want to represent the interests of their own nation, their own people”.
Consensus-based decision-making has always been “the core and the fundamental principle” of the EU, a guarantee of the equality and sovereignty of member states, the state secretary said.
Hungary “believes” in an integration based on equal member states, whereas Brussels envisions a federalist European superstate with lesser powers held by nation states, Zsigmond said.
“What Brussels wants is that member states should not take decisions on their own defence policy, migration policy, tax system or foreign policy issues,” he said, outlining a proposal submitted by the left to the EP.
The plan, if adopted, would require Hungary to scrap its utility subsidies, the freeze on interest rates, the windfall profit tax and the child protection law, and it would “force us to take in and finance the living of illegal immigrants”, he said. Hungary could not have a say on Ukraine’s EU integration and on sending additional funds and weapons to the war [in Ukraine], the state secretary said.
He called it important for Hungarians “to state a clear opinion” about the protection of national sovereignty in the ongoing National Consultation survey
Source: MTI
Our Politicians are implying we would be able to … defend ourselves? Without being part of NATO, and disavowing the need for a European strategic autonomy (their idol, Mr. Trump has publicly toyed pulling the US out of NATO, as also confirmed b Mr. Bolton)?
Re migration policy – since most EU countries are in Schengen … There needs to be strong coordination and consensus (which may require compromise)?
Re tax system … This should also be more or less aligned, cannot be discriminatory (free movement of people and goods). On tax – our Politicians already managed to scuttle the US Hungary Treaty – which is a massive hit to our economy. Let’s just ignore this. Ignorance is bliss.
Lastly – foreign policy. Strength in numbers? Our Politicians like to play in the fringe, at the expense of others. Imagine you are on a team, and one opportunistic team member always tries to wangle a little bit different, a little bit more, just for themselves?
The EU started with only six members at which time individual veto power was politically possible. Growing to 27 states with six more applying for membership the EU cannot properly function with a veto power for each state. Hungary has thoroughly demonstrated that one tiny country of less than 10 million can hold hostage and entire organization representing 448 million people. No national parliament works in a system with each parliamentary seat being given a veto and neither should the EU.