EU Considers Stripping Hungary Of Voting Rights Post Ukraine Veto
EU leaders were left with no choice but to explore strategies to counter Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s efforts to undermine Brussels’ backing Ukraine’s war efforts, according to the Financial Times.
Orbán’s obstinacy regarding aid to Ukraine has put an even greater wedge between Hungary and the EU.
Certain officials have contemplated using the EU’s biggest weapon against a member state- reactivating the so-called Article 7 punishment procedure for rule of law breaches, which can result in the suspension of Hungary’s voting rights.
At the summit of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday, German chancellor Olaf Scholz convinced his Hungarian counterpart to leave the council room temporarily so that the remaining 26 EU leaders could make a unanimous decision on Ukraine’s accession to the EU.
“Grab a coffee outside the room, perhaps”, suggested Scholz.
Despite the temporary solution, the German chancellor admitted that this cannot be a “universal solution”.
In fact, the Hungarian PM devastated Kyiv’s momentary celebration, gratifying Putin by vetoing the €50 billion, four-year financial aid package to Ukraine.
Orbán has insisted countless times that the EU is not ready and cannot accept Ukraine’s accession, saying that it is “the most corrupt country in the world”.
Daniel Hegedüs, senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund think-tank, said: “It was a low point for the EU and a new high point of escalation.”
Throughout his 13-year tenure, the Hungarian PM has consistently adopted an adversarial stance towards the EU to galvanise voters and secure financial concessions from Brussels.
EU officials are now taking measures to curtail his capacity to obstruct the bloc’s agenda.
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