Hungary Sticks to National Interests Despite EU’s Pressure on Migration and Sanctions, PM Orban Says
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban addresses the media on the occasion of a meeting with Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann and Vice Chancellor Reinhold Mitterlehner at the Hungarian Embassy in Vienna, Austria, Friday, Sept. 25, 2015.
BUDAPEST (Sputnik) – The European Union is imposing its will on Hungary over such critical issues as migration, sex education and sanctions, but the country continues to assert the interests of its people, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said.
"Hungary has fulfilled all the commitments agreed with the European Commission. The bureaucrats in Brussels are adding new conditions, they want to impose their will on us on the issues of migration, sanctions and gender," Orban said on social media, adding that Hungary is acting in the interests of its people, not Brussels, when it comes to these matters.
On Thursday, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that the country must be prepared for serious attacks from the EU since “Brussels and liberal propaganda machine” are not selective in their means and are using all kinds of blackmail against Budapest.On November 24, Orban said Budapest had fulfilled the entire list of requirements agreed upon with the European Commission. The prime minister expected that at the Commission’s meeting on November 30, a decision would have been made to unfreeze the Hungarian part from EU funds. In general, the European Commission’s requirements concerned measures to combat corruption, increase transparency of public procurement, and strengthen the independence of the judicial system.CC0 / / EU flag
EU flagOn November 30, the European Commission decided to maintain its initial proposal of September 18 to freeze 7.5 billion euros ($7.8 billion) in EU budget funding for Hungary until Budapest fulfills all its conditions. Now the Commission’s decision must be approved by the Council of EU countries by a qualified majority. Hungarian EU Affairs Minister Tibor Navracsics attributed this decision to the fact that part of Budapest’s obligations, according to the schedule, will be fulfilled later and expressed hope that the country will receive 100% of the funds in 2023.On December 2, Orban said the European Commission continues to block EU funds allocated to Hungary to influence the country’s position on migration, sex education, and sanctions, but Budapest has no intention of changing its stance.
