Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
EU urged to suspend funds to Hungary over 'grave breaches of the rule of law'
Source: The Guardian
EU urged to suspend funds to Hungary over ‘grave breaches of the rule of law’
Action follows Viktor Orbán passing law banning LGBT content in schools and mishandling of EU funds
Jennifer Rankin in Brussels
Wed 7 Jul 2021 06.00 BST
Ursula von der Leyen is being urged to suspend EU funds to Hungary to force Viktor Orbán to address concerns over politicised courts and corruption.
MEPs who work on the European parliament’s budgetary control committee are calling on the European Commission president to use a newly created EU law to freeze payments to Hungary for “grave breaches of the rule of law”.
It is the latest salvo against the Hungarian prime minister, who last month faced unprecedented criticism from fellow EU leaders over a law that bans the depiction of gay people in educational material. The European parliament is expected to condemn that law in a resolution on Thursday that will urge the commission to launch a fast-track legal case against Hungary over discrimination against LGBT people.
Long before the Hungarian parliament passed the controversial LGBT law, EU member states and MEPs were alarmed by Hungary’s spending of EU funds, including a contract for street lights awarded to Orbán’s son-in law, as well as a vintage train to Orbán’s home village.
-snip-
“The lack of transparent management of EU funds, the lack of an effective national prosecution service and the lack of guarantees of judicial independence show that Hungary has already egregiously violated basic rule-of-law principles,” states the report drafted by three professors in EU law and politics.
-snip-
Action follows Viktor Orbán passing law banning LGBT content in schools and mishandling of EU funds
Jennifer Rankin in Brussels
Wed 7 Jul 2021 06.00 BST
Ursula von der Leyen is being urged to suspend EU funds to Hungary to force Viktor Orbán to address concerns over politicised courts and corruption.
MEPs who work on the European parliament’s budgetary control committee are calling on the European Commission president to use a newly created EU law to freeze payments to Hungary for “grave breaches of the rule of law”.
It is the latest salvo against the Hungarian prime minister, who last month faced unprecedented criticism from fellow EU leaders over a law that bans the depiction of gay people in educational material. The European parliament is expected to condemn that law in a resolution on Thursday that will urge the commission to launch a fast-track legal case against Hungary over discrimination against LGBT people.
Long before the Hungarian parliament passed the controversial LGBT law, EU member states and MEPs were alarmed by Hungary’s spending of EU funds, including a contract for street lights awarded to Orbán’s son-in law, as well as a vintage train to Orbán’s home village.
-snip-
“The lack of transparent management of EU funds, the lack of an effective national prosecution service and the lack of guarantees of judicial independence show that Hungary has already egregiously violated basic rule-of-law principles,” states the report drafted by three professors in EU law and politics.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/07/eu-urged-suspend-funds-hungary-breaches-rule-of-law-viktor-orban
