The Civil Liberties Committee of the European Parliament has endorsed a draft report on Hungary's adherence to EU values and the rule of law, which called for curtailing Budapest's access to European funding until the rule of law and unconditional respect for human rights are restored, the European Parliament said on Wednesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th July, 2022) The Civil Liberties Committee of the European Parliament has endorsed a draft report on Hungary's adherence to EU values and the rule of law, which called for curtailing Budapest's access to European funding until the rule of law and unconditional respect for human rights are restored, the European Parliament said on Wednesday.
"European values are under systemic threat in Hungary, says the Civil Liberties Committee, pointing to the latest developments in the country. In a draft report adopted on Wednesday with 47 votes for, 10 against, and 2 abstentions, MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) detail their concerns about Hungary," the statement read.
European lawmakers have voiced concerns over the functioning of Hungary's constitutional and electoral system, independence of the judiciary, corruption, as well as Budapest's observance of basic human rights, such as freedom of expression, religion, association, the right to equal treatment and the rights of persons belonging to minorities. The officials believe that Hungary's failure to fully comply with the rule-of-law principles and its disregard for human rights makes it incapable of using EU funds properly.
"MEPs urge the Commission to make full use of all tools at its disposal and, in particular, budget conditionality. In light of the Russian war against Ukraine and its anti-EU actions, they also call on the Commission to refrain from approving the Hungarian RRF (Recovery and Resilience Facility) plan until Hungary has fully complied with all relevant European Semester recommendations," the statement added.
The lawmakers have also called for removing from funding those programs that contribute to improper use of EU funds or violate the rule of law in the country, urging more rigorous application of the EU financial regulations to prevent "any misuse of EU funds for political motives."
"The conclusions are a strong call from the majority of political groups; Hungary has turned into a hybrid regime of electoral autocracy, and the lack of EU action has contributed to this breakdown in the rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights," Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, a lawmaker reporting on the situation in Hungary, said.
At the Brussels summit in December 2020, the EU agreed to link the allocation of funds to adherence to the rule of law inside recipient countries. Respect for the rule of law was identified as a key prerequisite for sound financial management and the effective use of the EU funds. The new conditionality clause enables the EU to suspend payments or make financial corrections, in the event of breach of the rule of law.
