Hungary threatens to continue veto of EU budget

By Mehmet Yilmaz

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AA) – Hungary will continue its veto of the EU budget and rescue program if it is not separated from the rule of law conditionality, the country’s prime minister said on Friday.

Speaking to Kossuth Radio, Victor Orban said the rule of law should be evaluated separately, adding his country will approve the budget only if this happens.

“According to the agreement signed by the Hungarian and Polish Prime Ministers in Budapest, they will both take a common stance on this issue [...] It is necessary to separate the two things,” said Orban.

He claimed the EU wants to allow 34 million refugees and asylum seekers to Europe, and to give them citizenship and right of vote under the plan of Hungarian-born US businessman George Soros.

“If leftists gave voting rights to 34 million people in Europe, they could rely on their votes for a long time,” he said.

EU leaders on July 21 agreed on spending €1.82 trillion ($2.08 trillion) for the period of 2021-27, which includes the €750 billion ($857 billion) recovery instrument to help relaunch the European economy after the COVID-19 crisis.

Lawmakers also asked for a stronger rule of law conditionality, implying that EU budget transfers could be suspended or stopped if a member state system proves to have deficiencies – such as uninvestigated corruption or compromised judicial independence – which might affect the bloc’s financial interests.

Hungary and Poland opposed the deal that links the access to EU funding with adherence to the rule of law.

*Writing by Busra Nur Bilgic Cakmak​​​​​​​