BRUSSELS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st October, 2020) The Hungarian government and the European Commission are on a warpath again, as Prime Minister Viktor Orban demands that the vice-president for values and transparency resign over "derogatory" remarks about a "sick democracy" being built in the central European country.
On Tuesday, the Hungarian prime minister's office published Orban's letter to European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen in which he complained strongly about "the derogatory public statements" of Vice President Vera Jourova.
The letter came after Jourova told Der Spiegel last week that though Orban likes to say that he is building an "illiberal democracy" in Hungary, she would say that he is building a "sick democracy."
In the appeal to von der Leyen, Orban described the remarks as "not only a direct political attack against the democratically elected government of Hungary that has become commonplace, but also a humiliation to Hungary and the Hungarian people." According to the prime minister, Jourova insulted EU citizens of Hungarian nationality by "saying that they are not in a position to form an independent opinion."
He went on to argue that Jourova's remarks ran counter to "the Commission's role as a neutral and objective institution enshrined in the Lisbon Treaty."
"They are a blatant violation of the principle of sincere cooperation and prevent any meaningful future dialogue between Hungary and the Vice President. Those who violate the Treaties cannot pose as the defenders of rule of law and European values. The statements of Vice President Vera Jourova are incompatible with her current mandate, therefore her resignation is indispensable," Orban argued, announcing the suspension of all political contacts between the Hungarian government and Jourova.
Von der Leyen's spokesperson immediately and laconically replied that Jourova has the "full trust" of the commission.
WHO ARE VIKTOR ORBAN AND VERA JOUROVA?
Tensions between Orban and the commission are not something new.
The Hungarian prime minister has been deeply hated in Brussels since 2015, when he defied all regulations from Brussels and shut Hungarian borders to stem the flow of undocumented migrants trying to enter the country from Serbia along the Balkan route.
Another point of contention is the position of Orban's Fidesz party about what Brussels calls "European values" and the "rule of law." The EU accuses Hungary and Poland of interfering with the independence of the judiciary and the press.
In 2017 and 2018, the European Commission and parliament triggered procedures against Poland and Hungary, respectively, over a "clear risk of a serious breach by a Member State of the values" referred to in Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union.
Orban's party, meanwhile, receives an absolute majority in each legislative election. His party is still a member of the Christian-Democratic EPP Group in the European Parliament, the party of Angela Merkel and Ursula von der Leyen.
The EPP needs the 13 Fidesz members of the European Parliament to be the largest party in the legislature. So it is reluctant to expel them, despite the loud calls from the Socialists, the Greens and the Liberals.
If ever Orban and his party left the EPP, they would be welcome with open arms by the I&D group of Marine Le Pen or the European Conservatives and Reformists.
Jourova is the vice-president of von der Leyen's commission in charge of values and transparency, as well as the application of rule of law. In principle, she � a member of the party of Czech billionaire businessman turned prime minister Andrej Babis � and Orban do not present exact political opposites, far from it.
But among the tasks of commissioner Jourova are "ensuring the democratic system is open, transparent, protected from external interference, and chairing the Commissioners' Group on a New Push for European Democracy."
These tasks are somewhat fluffy in their description and very political. In addition, Jourova is the successor of Frans Timmermans, an archenemy of Orban.
IMMIGRATION AT HEART OF DISPUTES
Immigration is widely believed to be key to Brussels-Budapest disputes. Twenty four hours after the commission's migration pact was presented last week, the prime ministers of Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland asked for a meeting with von der Leyen. They got it immediately and told the EU chief that they could not agree with the plan, which calls for more solidarity in tackling the migrant flow.
"We have been experiencing alienation between the EU and the eastern member states, such as Hungary or Poland, for several years now. The reason for this is that it is precisely these states that have not introduced the welcome policy on migration that Brussels had hoped for," Roman Haider, a European Parliament member from the Freedom Party of Austria, told Sputnik.
According to the lawmaker, Jourova's statements show that "the EU wants to push through its fatal migration policy with all means, even behind the backs of the member states and their peoples."
"If this development continues, it would be understandable if countries such as Hungary or Poland, in particular, decide to abandon this European course for good and no longer want to be members of such an EU, which undermines any sovereignty of the nation states," he argued.
Pierre Vercauteren, a political sciences professor at UCLouvain University in Belgium, however, doubts that Hungary would ever go as far as to leave the bloc.
"Orban and the Commission are in a permanent standoff, but I believe that Hungary's exit from the EU is impossible; simply because Hungary, Poland or Slovakia are very important net beneficiaries of European development funds," Vercauteren told Sputnik.
Going too far in the long term still could undermine Orban's position, the professor believes.
"This could escalate to the European Court of Justice and result in financial sanctions for Hungary," he said.
As for politically close positions of Orban's party and the force that Jourova belongs to, the expert noted that the practice of "abandoning the political positions" by commissioners when they take the office to "become, in a way, 'apolitical'" is not surprising.
"This may heighten the anger of Orban, who perhaps expected to have an easier time with Jourova than with Timmermans. Gradually the positions of the 'illiberal democracies of the East' are eroding, but the fact remains that all major decisions, such as on development funds, sanctions or immigration, must pass by unanimity in the European Council," Vercauteren concluded.
This issue cannot be settled in parliament or the commission, and promises "some great tussles," the researcher argued.
