NGOs call on MEPs to launch Article 7 proceedings against Hungary – UPDATE
International civil groups have called on MEPs to vote for launching the EU’s Article 7 procedure against Hungary later this month.
The European Parliament is expected to vote on a report criticising the state of the rule of law in Hungary prepared by its civil liberties committee (LIBE) next Wednesday. The report, authored by Green MEP Judith Sargentini, says there is a “clear risk of a serious breach by Hungary of the values of the European Union”, and calls for launching the Article 7 procedure, which suspends a member state’s voting rights.
In an open letter to MEPs, civil groups including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Civil Society Europe, the European Policy Institute of the Open Society Foundations, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and Climate Action Europe voiced their concerns over what they believe is Hungary’s straying from the common path of the European Union “built on respect by all member states for human rights, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms”.
They said the current Hungarian government “has stepped off this common path, curbing media freedom, freedom of association and undermining the independence of its courts”.
“If unchecked, the deterioration of respect for fundamental rights and the rule of law in Hungary will continue and spread further across Europe,” they wrote. “European leaders have accommodated, coaxed and warned the government of Hungary. Those efforts have proven futile. In fact, the lack of clear action has emboldened Hungary’s increasingly autocratic leadership,” they said.
Experts say next week’s vote is likely to be close, as the LIBE report’s approval will require a 2/3rds majority and an absolute majority among all MEPs.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will participate in the debate on the report on Sept. 11, read more HERE.
UPDATE
Ruling Fidesz said in response that US financier George “Soros’s allies attacked Hungary again, wanting revenge on Hungarians”.
Hungary has halted the flow of migrants at its borders and demonstrated that migration is not an inevitable phenomenon that has to be accepted, Balázs Hidvéghi, the party’s communication chief, told public media on Tuesday. The NGOs signing the letter “want to flood Europe with migrants” and are on “Soros’s payroll”, he said.
Balázs Orbán, state secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office, told a press conference that
the report is “a patchwork resulting from a show trial motivated by political reasons.”
It is part of the European parliamentary election campaign, which will be defined by the parties’ approach to migration, with “the future of Europe at stake”, he said.
The state secretary said that the government had recently prolonged the state of emergency due to mass migration which was first introduced in September 2015. There are continued attempts to enter the country illegally, the police regularly identify illegal immigrants, and thousands of migrants have been stranded on the “Balkan route”, waiting to enter the European Union, he insisted.
Source: MTI
2 Comments
Excuse me? These NGOS are mentioning that the EU is built on respect by all member states for human rights, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms? Do they know that the EU was ‘sold’ on an idea for safety, peace and wellfare? What has become of this? The MEPS are busy with their own agenda, not with the representation of the people! Another important fact is that the NGOS are in the dirty hands of George Soros. He was a (hidden) member of the Nazi’s and has robbed his own Jewish people. He did not care about this and the NGOS are silent about this. Why? Is it because Soros is paying them? What about the United Nations, who recently decided not to mention illegal fugitives but people without documentation. Due to pressure from organizations like the EU, NGOS and other money-spending and no-performing organisations like the UN, the word ‘illegal’ had been objected about 5 years ago if someone had stayed in a country without permission. So it was pointed out with gentle pressure to the media to change that ‘nasty’ word into something friendly. That became the word ‘undocumented’ and admit, you would offer that man or woman with that new label your own bed, no? There is something strange in the word hidden ‘undocumented’ just as if you have lost something while you cannot do anything yourself? The EU, never to be afraid to occupy itself with insignificant matters, because really matters that are going to make sense of the brilliance of the Brussels’ mess, suddenly came to this new trouvaille through Cecilia Malmström. Yes, Pipi Longsock cuddled the EU now deletes the word ‘illegal’ in all her documents and now a friendly soft light shines on those who are litigating for some years at the expense of their hosts and wives. So do we now agree that we follow this rule completely politically correctly? Forget it, they are and remain, as far as we are concerned, just illegals.
Illegals are Ill and not legal, case closed. NGOs run by SOROS are not legal, case closed. Anyone calling Hungary’s leadership ‘Autocratic’, are themselves ‘Autocratic’, case closed. The photo above with Erdogan in the background, is a photo that has nothing to do with Turkey, case closed. Any further and future attacks from the EC and SOROS groups are futile, case closed.