Orban calls for Ukraine decisions to be scrapped at EU summit
Hungary's Prime Minister Orban rejects both EU accession negotiations with Ukraine and further billions in aid from Brussels for Kiev. He has now made this clear once again in a letter. EU diplomats sense an attempt at blackmail behind Orban's blockade.
The Hungarian head of government Viktor Orban has gone one better in his dispute with the European Union. In a leaked letter to EU Council President Charles Michel, he demanded that the two main decisions on support for Ukraine be removed from the agenda of the Brussels summit in mid-December. Otherwise, the right-wing nationalist warned in the letter, which was obtained by the AFP news agency, the summit would "fail".
Specifically, Orban called for the planned start of EU accession negotiations with Ukraine to be put on hold for the time being. The EU Commission's proposal to support Ukraine with a further 50 billion euros and to increase the multi-year budget framework for this is also not ready for a decision. "The obvious lack of consensus would inevitably lead to failure," Orban warned with a view to the meeting of European heads of state and government on December 14 and 15. Both resolutions require unanimity.
In an initial letter to Michel, Orban had called for European support for Ukraine to be put to the test, as well as the sanctions against Russia. Diplomats suspect that Orban wants to achieve the release of 13 billion euros for his country. The EU had frozen the funds due to rule of law problems. Members of the European Parliament accuse Orban of "blackmail". If Hungary passes a judicial reform demanded by Brussels, the country could receive around ten billion euros, according to EU figures. The amendment is currently before the Hungarian parliament and is intended to reduce political influence on the judiciary.
The EU had frozen a total of almost 22 billion euros for Hungary in the rule of law dispute at the end of 2022. However, more than half of this would remain blocked in any case. This is because Hungary also continues to violate Europe's Charter of Fundamental Rights in terms of asylum policy and the rights of sexual minorities, according to a recent report by the EU Commission.
Read also:
- Despite Orban's opposition, the EU Summit in mid-December is expected to discuss the commencement of EU accession negotiations with Ukraine and a proposed EU aid package worth 50 billion euros for Ukraine.
- Orban's letter to EU Council President Michel suggested delaying the EU accession negotiations with Ukraine, citing a lack of consensus, and questioned the EU Commission's proposal to provide further financial aid to Ukraine.
- The Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, has been accused of blackmail by EU parliamentarians, who believe that his opposition to EU support for Ukraine is aimed at securing the release of frozen funds for Hungary due to rule of law issues.
Source: www.ntv.de
