MEPs demand Hungary’s EU voting rights be stripped

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have called for Hungary to be stripped of its EU voting rights following Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s visits to Russia and China, News.Az reports citing Politico.

In a letter obtained by the newspaper, 63 MEPs addressed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel and European Parliament chief Roberta Metsola, saying Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban “has already caused significant damage by exploiting and abusing the role of the Council Presidency.”

Hungary took over the rotating Council of the EU presidency from Belgium on 1 July. Since then, Orban has launched self-declared “peace missions” to Kyiv, Moscow, Beijing and Washington and claimed, without authorization, to be representing the EU.

Orban “undertook several diplomatic visits, notably to visit Putin in Russia and Xi Jinping in China, during which he intentionally misrepresented his empowerments,” the lawmakers wrote, and called on the Parliament to respond accordingly.

“This requires real actions, such as suspending Hungary’s voting rights in the Council, since practice has shown that mere verbal condemnations of this situation have no effect,” the MEPs added.

The letter, supported by MEPs from a number of countries and parliamentary groups including the EPP, Renew and the Greens, is the latest attempt to censure Budapest for its rogue presidency. The Commission also asked its commissioners not to attend Hungary’s informal ministers’ meetings, it announced on July 15.

News.Az