In a letter to EU Council President Charles Michel, German MEP Daniel Freund (Greens) called for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to be banned from the EU summit next week. The EU politician justifies his demand that democracy must first be restored in Hungary. “Only democrats can sit on the European Council,” Freund said.
The party friend of the German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock invokes a provision in the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU. Accordingly, the Heads of State or Government in the European Council must be “democratically accountable to their national parliaments or to their citizens”.
State of emergency overturns parliamentary scrutiny
Orban has been dismantling democracy in Hungary for years and with the now declared state of emergency also circumvents the last remnant of parliamentary control. “When it comes to the most central decisions for security in Europe, no autocrat should sit at the table,” Freund explains.
Due to the war in neighboring Ukraine, Orban announced on Tuesday that he would declare a state of emergency in his country from next Wednesday. This allows him to repeal existing laws and take coercive measures by decree.
Orban continues to oppose the oil embargo
The Hungarian prime minister is also against an embargo on oil supplies from Russia, which many member states want to break. Budapest is demanding billions in subsidies as compensation. Observers also view the resistance as politically motivated, as Orban is considered pro-Russian. He won the parliamentary elections in April mainly by promising to keep his country out of the war in Ukraine.
Council President Michel is optimistic about an agreement on the oil embargo. During a visit to the Swedish capital Stockholm on Wednesday, Michel said he was “confident” there would be an agreement on the issue of sanctions against Russia by the time of the EU summit.
Hungary: Agreement on embargo ‘not real’
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, on the other hand, reiterated Budapest’s negative attitude. No embargo jeopardizing Hungary’s energy security would be approved, he said on Wednesday, according to the MTI news agency. “First there must be a solution, only then can we talk about sanctions,” he emphasized.
It is “not real” that the European Commission can present an acceptable proposal this week.
Germany is also tempering hope
Germany dampened hopes for a quick agreement. According to German government circles, the finalization of the sixth package of sanctions against Russia is not on the agenda at the special EU summit on Wednesday. But it is hoped for an early conclusion, it said in circles in Berlin on Wednesday.
Also, no decision will be taken on Ukraine’s candidate status. The European Commission must first submit a recommendation.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
