Polish and Hungarian victory at EU summit

Experts to V4NA say Thursday s meeting of the heads of state and government of the European Union resulted in success for Hungary and Poland. According to the analysts of the Polish research institute Ordo Iuris and the Hungarian Center for Fundamental Rights, the summit was a clear victory for the two countries.

POLITICS DECEMBER 11. 2020 17:47

Although the compromise solution proposed by the German presidency in the middle of the week was in line with Polish-Hungarian interests, on Thursday it had yet to gain the support of other member states and the European Parliament, explained Attila Kovacs, EU expert at the Hungarian Center for Fundamental Rights to V4NA.

https://v4na.com/politika/orban-viktor-gy-zott-a-jozan-esz-42786/

„During the talks on Thursday, the fact that the concerns of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, representing the joint position of the so-called frugal four at the Council meeting were quelled coupled with the statements of the President of the European Parliament are indications that the European Parliament is also likely to approve the deal,” he said.

He emphasized that the Hungarian and Polish positions were clear from the beginning. „Financial issues should not be obscured with political or ideological issues. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, EU member states and institutions should not deal with ideological arguments but should instead focus on successful crisis management.”

Tymoteusz Zych, president of the Polish research institute Ordo Iuris Institute for Legal Culture, also pointed out that it was not Poland and Hungary that generated the controversy around the budget negotiations, but nevertheless a good solution was found.

The agreement and the approval of the EU budget was in the interest of the EU as a whole, but providing timely access to recovery funds is particularly important for the countries hardest hit by the economic crisis in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic. However, additional interests were at play in the compromise, Tymote Zych pointed out.

„One of the biggest advocates, the Netherlands needed a green-lighted proposal in advance of general elections back home. Germany, too, held similarly politically motivated interests,” the expert said.

According to the agreement reached by the leaders of the member states, the newly-established rule of law mechanism can only be launched if the actions of a member state directly infringe on the financial interests of the European Union. This means that the mechanism cannot be used arbitrarily for political or ideological purposes.

In the near future, the European Commission, together with the member states, will have to draw up specific guidelines for implementation of the mechanism before which sanctions cannot be imposed. The new mechanism can only be applied starting in 2021 at the earliest, and provides for a further extention of the timeframe should a member state contest the compatibility of the legislation with EU law in the European Court of Justice. The application of the mechanism would be suspended until the court s decision.

„The magnitude of Hungary s victory yesterday is best exemplified by George Soros, himself writing of the Viktor Orban victory and the bowing of Angela Merkel, on the Project Syndicate website,” added Attila Kovacs.

https://v4na.com/politika/soros-gyorgy-felhaborodott-42789/

POLITICS

Tags:

eu budget, Hungary, mateusz morawiecki, poland, viktor orban