WARSAW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th December, 2020) EU nations are "very close" to resolving the deadlock over the bloc's seven-year budget and the coronavirus recovery plan this week, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Tuesday, noting that Budapest and Warsaw still stand by their stance in the rule of law row.
Earlier in the day, Orban met in Warsaw with his Polish counterpart, Mateusz Morawiecki, and the leader of the ruling Law and Justice party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski. The visit comes as the two countries hold back the bloc's budget for 2021-2027 and the recovery package in opposition to a plan to make access to EU funds conditional on member states' commitment to the rule of law. The EU leaders will gather for an in-person summit from December 10-11 to make final budget decisions.
"Various scenarios are possible. We are close to reaching an agreement. The chances are very high [to do it] this week," Orban said, broadcast by Polish Television.
The prime minister, at the same time, promised that Hungary and Poland would remain committed to their position until the end of the negotiations.
"I think this is a bigger guarantee than 100 percent," he added.
According to Orban, Germany, which holds the presidency of the Council of the EU, is currently working on a compromise solution on the EU budget.
"From what I know, we are really very close to an agreement, which will be a victory and will be a very good result for Poland and Hungary and for the entire European Union," he stated.
The real cause of the row around the rule of law clause, the Hungarian leader continued, is that "some simply do not understand what the rule of law is." According to Orban, the problem is that "they have never fought for the rule of law, but always had it, never fought for freedom and democracy, never fought for the standard of living they have."
