Brussels Reporter
  • Home
  • Brussels
  • Europe
    • Europe

      Scientists are using satellites to count elephants from…

      January 21, 2021January 21, 2021

      Europe

      UK names Brexit negotiator as new EU ambassador

      January 21, 2021

      Europe

      France: Hospital workers demand more resources to fight…

      January 21, 2021January 21, 2021

      Europe

      Biden inauguration: Fireworks light up Washington DC sky…

      January 21, 2021January 21, 2021

      Europe

      Bejing slaps sanctions on Pompeo and several other…

      January 21, 2021January 21, 2021

  • Globe
  • Lifestyle
  • Business

Brussels Reporter

  • Home
  • Brussels
  • Europe
    • Europe

      Scientists are using satellites to count elephants from…

      January 21, 2021January 21, 2021

      Europe

      UK names Brexit negotiator as new EU ambassador

      January 21, 2021

      Europe

      France: Hospital workers demand more resources to fight…

      January 21, 2021January 21, 2021

      Europe

      Biden inauguration: Fireworks light up Washington DC sky…

      January 21, 2021January 21, 2021

      Europe

      Bejing slaps sanctions on Pompeo and several other…

      January 21, 2021January 21, 2021

  • Globe
  • Lifestyle
  • Business
Home Europe Hungary and Poland maintain united front blocking EU COVID-19 recovery fund
Europe

Hungary and Poland maintain united front blocking EU COVID-19 recovery fund

by editor November 26, 2020November 27, 2020
November 26, 2020November 27, 2020

The leaders of Hungary and Poland have vowed to maintain a united front and uphold their veto of the EU”s budget and its massive pandemic relief fund.

They continue to oppose the mechanism that ties funding for countries to rule of law principles, arguing that the EU plan risks derailing the bloc.

The EU has proposed a mechanism linking the bloc’s €1.8 trillion budget, which includes a €750bn coronavirus recovery package, to its members’ respect of the rule of law. This covers areas such as democratic values, human rights and the independence of the judiciary.

Prime ministers Viktor Orbán and Mateusz Morawiecki met in Budapest to discuss ways of persuading EU leaders to abandon the plan.

In a joint statement, they rejected any mechanism that would financially sanction member states for violating democratic standards.

They proposed a two-track solution to exit the impasse and free up the COVID-19 package. It involves limiting the conditions for allocating funds and putting the link to the rule of law to the European Council for approval — which if passed by EU leaders would then mean modifying EU treaties.

Last week the two countries vetoed the EU mechanism, effectively stalling progress on the implementation of the whole budget and rescue package, planned for January. They received support from Slovenia’s Prime Minister Janez Jansa.

On Thursday (November 26), the Polish and Hungarian leaders continued their attack.

Viktor Orbán said the EU debate over the rule of law must not be tied to ways of overcoming the economic crisis. “Whoever links them is irresponsible, because the crisis needs fast economic decisions,” he told a news conference.

Hungary’s leader said he was acting in his nation’s interest by opposing the financial mechanism, saying it violated Hungary’s national values and sovereignty. The debate was not about the rule of law but about the “rule of the majority”.

“This is extremely dangerous for Europe’s cohesion, it is a bad solution that threatens a breakup of Europe in the future,” Morawiecki said.

The Polish prime minister argued that similar exclusive mechanisms could be used in the future against other countries, over other issues. With the veto “We are defending the unity of the union,” he added.

Euronews political editor Darren McCaffrey said the two leaders’ stand cast doubt on an assertion earlier this week by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas that a solution was in sight.

Several MEPs are accusing the Hungarian and Polish leaders of trying to blackmail the EU, and of putting the livelihoods of Europeans at risk, including in their own countries.

Last week the European Parliament said it would make “no concessions” to Hungary and Poland on the conditionality of EU funding to respect for the rule of law.

Under the new mechanism, individual EU countries could lose their veto and have funding cut if a majority of other member states back such a move.

EU leaders will discuss the matter at a European summit in December.

View Darren McCaffrey’s report in the video player above.

Source link

previous post
Questions grow over AstraZeneca-Oxford coronavirus vax trials
next post
Diego Maradona: Huge crowds bid farewell as Argentina grieves

Related Posts

A democratic and civic opportunity we cannot afford...

February 18, 2020

At least 140 migrants die off Senegal in...

October 29, 2020

Summer was hottest on record in Northern Hemisphere

September 14, 2020

Joe Biden has COVID-19 vaccine on live TV...

December 21, 2020

US Republicans warn Boris Johnson not to rebuff...

January 28, 2020

How Angela Merkel blew it

February 12, 2020

Few tourists show up to watch migration of...

August 3, 2020

17-year-old arrested after two shot dead at protest...

August 26, 2020

Close Turkish Cypriot election result leaves peace deal...

October 11, 2020

Coronavirus: Hungary and Portugal to be added to...

September 10, 2020
Promotion Image

Recent Posts

  • Scientists are using satellites to count elephants from space for the first time
  • My niece, Kamala Harris – BBC News
  • UK names Brexit negotiator as new EU ambassador
  • France: Hospital workers demand more resources to fight COVID-19
  • European Parliament will set up vaccination centers for MEPs, staff and locals
Promotion Image

GO!

Instagram

No images found!
Try some other hashtag or username

Lifestyle

  • Keeping the country in Europe cost Syriza power

  • The populist surge that did not happen

  • Can Europe avoid the coming crisis?

  • Green country went even greener

  • The Social democrats’ comeback

Popular Posts

  • 1

    Beware of scammING. Dirty money of famous bank

    October 6, 2020
  • 2

    The death of the city

    July 27, 2020
  • 3

    Norway: No link established after post-COVID-19 vaccination deaths, says health authority

    January 18, 2021

Editor’s Choices

  • Can Europe avoid the coming crisis?

    August 26, 2019
  • Avoiding a repeat performance of the financial crisis

    July 14, 2019
  • The EU’s next big challenge

    June 11, 2019

Opinions

  • Keeping the country in Europe cost Syriza power

    August 28, 2019
  • The populist surge that did not happen

    August 27, 2019
  • Can Europe avoid the coming crisis?

    August 26, 2019

@2018-2020 - Brussels Reporter (www.brusselsreporter.com). All Right Reserved.