Published: 18.9.2022
Today the European Commission has taken a decision on the rule of law in Hungary and the freezing of funds to our country, marking the end of an important stage in the senseless battle of Orbán against the European Community. They have proposed to freeze resources worth over 3000 billion forints, that is, more than half of the funding for operational programmes. Never before in the history of the European Union has the Commission formally proposed financial sanctions against a Member State for its failure to respect the rule of law. The Prime Minister of Fidesz and his regime have brought shame on our shared country by making Hungary the first to suffer this procedure and this sanction in this form. This is the sole responsibility of Fidesz.
In the midst of a crisis of subsistence, the governing party keeps claiming that ‘war inflation’ is the cause of the fluctuating euro-forint exchange rate, the spiraling cost of housing and utilities. It is true that Putin’s aggression is having a substantial negative impact on financial market developments, but Hungary’s economic crisis started much earlier and is deepening not because of Russia’s war but because of Orbán’s war in Brussels. After the European Commission’s decision, it became clear that the Orbán government’s excesses over the past few years could lead to a serious loss of resources for Hungary, meaning that a significant part of the subsidies due to our shared country could be frozen for good. By setting a specific deadline for the Hungarian government to meet its commitments, but still not promising to fully conclude the procedure, the Commission has made it clear that it no longer believes the Orbáns’ flip-flopping and discredited promises. Either they take real and effective action against corruption at state level to protect EU public money, or the country will surely lose thousands of billions of euros. This is the responsibility of Fidesz, and Fidesz alone.
Viktor Orbán recently described the report adopted in this week’s plenary session of the European Parliament as boring and ridiculous, that same report that records the crimes of the current government against the rule of law. This is no longer a joke, Mr Prime Minister; your money-grubbing mafia state is depriving families, local governments, small businesses, NGOs and decent Hungarian citizens of the EU subsidies to which they are entitled. This too may be ridiculous to you, Mr Prime Minister, but you must take responsibility for every euro cent that the country loses because of your rapacious government! For years you have campaigned on the need to stop Brussels. Congratulations, you’ve made it.
MEP István Ujhelyi
Member of the European Parliament
18 September, 2022.