Funding cut soon?
EU Parliament Denies Hungary Democratic Status
The European Parliament has acknowledged that Hungary is not a democracy. “Hungary is no longer a democracy,” said a decision “among experts” on Thursday.
Viktor Orbán fears funding cuts after EU exit (archive image)
MEPs criticized the EU itself for not acting decisively enough. “The lack of decisive action by the EU has contributed to the decline of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights in Hungary,” the parliament laments.
For months, MEPs have been calling on the EU Commission in Brussels to do something about alleged breaches of the law in Hungary and possible cuts to EU funding for the country. After much hesitation, the EU Commission in April triggered the so-called rule of law system. In this way, payments from the EU budget to countries can be reduced if the Common Core Values are breached.
The EU wants to keep Hungary’s door open
The commission accused Hungary of corruption, conflicts of interest and massive problems with public procurement and party funding. Behind this is suspicion that a cabal around Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (59) is enriching himself at the expense of the common EU budget.
A decision by at least 15 EU countries, representing 65 percent of the population, is needed before any real cuts in funding can be made. According to a report by the online media “Politico”, the EU Commission may propose to member states to cut funding for Hungary on Sunday. However, at the same time, she wants to leave the door open for Hungary to avoid this through reforms. (AFP)
“Wannabe pop culture fanatic. Zombie advocate. Entrepreneur. Internet evangelist. Alcohol fanatic. Typical travel buff.”
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