The EU has been accused of “political blackmail” by Hungary, as the bloc attempts to limit the nation’s voting rights.
Hungary has been at loggerheads with the EU in recent weeks as it continues to block funding for Ukraine.
120 MEPs from the five biggest parties have signed a petition calling for the EU to begin the process of limiting Hungary’s voting rights.
On Thursday, MEPs will vote on a resolution on Hungary, just a matter of months before Hungary is due to take over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU in July.
120 MEPs from the five biggest parties have signed a petition calling for the EU to begin the process of limiting Hungary’s voting rights
PA
While the EU can’t remove a country from the bloc, it can strip it its voting rights using Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union.
The 26 other EU nations would need to unanimously agree that Hungary is committing a “serious and persistent breach” of the EU’s founding values – such as democracy, the rule of law and the rights of minorities.
But an ally of Viktor Orban, Hungarian MP Judit Varga, has claimed the EU is pursuing a “witch hunt”, accusing the bloc of “blackmailing with European funds”.
Varga told Politico: “Europe replaced democracy with hypocrisy and dialogue was replaced by a political witch hunt and blackmailing with European funds.
“Article 7 is just a blackmailing tool.”
She added: “If you don’t fit the [EU] line then you will be somehow blackmailed and this is a typical example of how Article 7 is functioning.”
Orban has been in a battle with the EU in recent months, using Hungary’s veto to repeatedly block EU plans to continue providing financial support to Ukraine.
EU leaders are set to convene again on 1 February to revisit the issue.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
The bloc has proposed a €50-billion fund for Ukraine, but Hungary has suggested it split the package into four annual envelopes, worth €12.5 billion each.
But EU leaders are thought to be concerned about such a move, as it could hand Hungary an “annual veto”.
