EU withholds Hungary funds because of migrants and LGBTQ rights, Reuters says

So far the European Commission has only criticised the independence of the judiciary in Hungary, but now Brussels is also concerned about LGBTQ rights and the country's asylum system, Reuters writes.

POLITICS DECEMBER 24. 2022 14:46

The EU is withholding the total amount of Hungary’s cohesion funds over legal concerns, Reuters writes. Interestingly, they point out that while so far the EU has only been concerned about the independence of the judiciary in Hungary, it now also finds the status of LGBTQ rights and the country’s asylum system troublesome.

„The European Commission said on Thursday it would hold back all 22 billion euros of EU cohesion funds for Hungary until its government meets conditions related to judicial independence, academic freedoms, LGBTQI rights and the asylum system,” the paper recalls.

Is Hungary’s child protection law the real problem?

The Commission has said that (and here we quote Reuters, verbatim) „a controversial Hungarian anti-LGBTQI+ law, which limits schools’ teaching about homosexuality and transgender issues, along with „serious risks to academic freedom and the right to asylum” mean Hungary fails to comply with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.”

In other words, the Commission considers that restricting LGBTQ teaching is not in line with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

The funds Hungary is due cannot be transferred until the country’s system is adequate, the Commission added.

POLITICS

Tags:

european commission, Hungary, lgbt