Before the EU summit: Orban intensifies blockade threats

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Expectations that the summit meeting in Brussels could decide on the start of EU accession negotiations with Ukraine and a revision of the EU’s long-term budget are unfounded, Orban writes in a letter to EU Council President Charles Michel. He therefore urges that no resolutions be planned as this would lead to failure in the absence of consensus.

Such a counterproductive scenario must be avoided in the interests of EU unity, Orban demands in the letter, which is available to the German news agency.

Regarding the accession negotiations with Ukraine, the Hungarian criticizes that the European Commission’s proposal is not compatible with a decision of the June 2022 summit. He clearly alludes to the fact that the Brussels authorities are starting the process regardless of the reform requirements that have not yet have been made. nevertheless, the recommendations have been fully met. However, the summit decision states that further steps in the accession process should not be decided until “all these conditions are fully met.”

About the European Commission’s proposal for a revision of the EU budget for the years 2021-2027, Orban writes that it is “unfounded, unbalanced and unrealistic”. A new approach is needed based on the political and financial conditions in the Member States.

Orbán’s letter is causing unrest in Brussels, because a large majority of EU countries actually want to take far-reaching decisions in favor of Ukraine during the summit on December 14 and 15. In addition to EU accession negotiations, this also includes further financial support for the country. However, a decision is only possible if none of the Member States veto it.

Orbán had already formulated his first veto threats in November in a letter to Council President Michel. At the time, he wrote that until a consensus was found on the future strategy for dealing with Ukraine, no decisions could be taken at the level of heads of state or government on additional financial support, security guarantees or the EU enlargement process. This requires a fundamental debate on the European Union’s Ukraine policy.

It recently remained unclear whether Orban merely wanted to increase pressure with the letter to obtain frozen EU funding for his country. Some EU diplomats believe this is conceivable, others point out that Orban recently claimed he would not budge on the Ukraine issue even after funds were released.

The European Commission is currently investigating whether funds can be released to Hungary. About a year ago, she announced that she would only do so if Orbán’s right-wing nationalist government fully implemented its promises to uphold the rule of law. Orbán believes that his country has met all the requirements.

(SDA)

Source: Blick