Viktor Orban reiterates opposition to decision on EU accession negotiations with Ukraine
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has reiterated his opposition to a decision to open EU accession negotiations with Ukraine immediately before the EU summit. Seven preconditions had been set and even according to the EU Commission's analysis, three of them had not been met, Orban said on his arrival in Brussels on Thursday. There was therefore nothing to discuss at present. They would have to come back to it when the conditions had been met.
At the same time, the Hungarian Prime Minister made it clear that he is also against creating a new instrument via the EU budget to provide financial support to Ukraine, which is under attack from Russia. This should be done outside of the budget, Orban said, arguing that, in his view, there was no time pressure. The interim solution was already in the budget, Orban said.
Orban categorically rejected accusations that he wanted to use the blockade to free up EU funds for his country that had been frozen due to rule of law deficits. "This is not about a deal. This is not about a deal," he said. Hungary stands for principles.
Around 21 billion euros in EU funds for Hungary are currently still frozen. Until shortly before the summit, it had been more than 30 billion euros. On Wednesday, however, the EU Commission announced that it would release around ten billion euros due to completed judicial reforms.
Orban's position is particularly problematic because he can rely on a summit resolution from June 2022 with regard to the EU accession negotiations with Ukraine. This states that further steps in the accession process should only be decided once "all these conditions have been fully met".
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- Despite the EU Commission's analysis indicating that three out of seven preconditions for EU accession negotiations with Ukraine have not been met, Viktor Orban maintains his stance against initiating the negotiations directly before the EU summit.
- At the EU summit, Viktor Orban voiced his opposition not only to starting the negotiations immediately but also to creating a new instrument within the EU budget to provide financial aid to Ukraine under attack from Russia.
- The Hungarian Prime Minister emphasized that his stance is not a ploy to secure unfrozen EU funds for Hungary due to rule of law deficiencies, but rather a commitment to upholding principles.
- The EU Commission's decision to release around ten billion euros in EU funds for Hungary, following completed judicial reforms, does not alter Viktor Orban's stance on the direct commencement of EU accession negotiations with Ukraine, as he is bound by a summit resolution from June 2022, which stipulates that such steps should only be considered once all preconditions have been fully met.
Source: www.ntv.de
