Main focus of Wednesday, January 18, 2012

EU legal action against Hungary

Prime Minister Orbán has a month to meet the demands of the EU. (© dapd)

The EU launched three legal proceedings against Hungary on Tuesday, as in its view several legal amendments introduced by the right-wing conservative government contravene EU law. Finally the EU is speaking with one voice, write some commentators, while others fear the pressure from Brussels will play right into the hands of Hungary's far right.

La Repubblica - Italy

With its three lawsuits Brussels is acting against Hungary's lowering of the retirement age for judges, its new central bank law and the lacking independence of the Data Protection Commissioner. Hungary has now been given one month to correct this legislation. At least the EU is in agreement for once, the left-liberal daily La Repubblica comments approvingly: "While Europe is at loggerheads over the euro, threatened by the recession and has lost its clout on the international stage, at least in this one case it is showing strength of character and has agreed on a clear response to the authoritarian developments in Hungary. The EU Commission's ultimatum comes just a few days after the call for concrete steps on the part of the head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde. If Orbán's Hungary doesn't change the controversial legislation within a month the country faces not only a lawsuit before the European Court of Justice, it also risks losing 15 to 20 billion euros in EU and IMF emergency loans. And without these loans the country will certainly go bankrupt." (18/01/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Hungary, » Europe
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Who's saying what » Resistance to Hungarian government

El País - Spain

The EU launching a couple of legal actions against Hungary is nowhere near enough, the left-liberal daily El País protests and calls for the country to be deprived of its vote in the EU Council of Ministers: "For a far lesser offence - allowing the xenophobic Jörg Haider to participate in government - the EU imposed diplomatic sanctions against Austria in 2000. The changes introduced by Orbán should have merited  the application of Article 7 of the EU treaty, which was made more severe after the Austrian incident and now foresees the possibility of depriving a state of its voting rights on the Council if it violates human rights or limits basic civil rights. Hungary's future is at stake, but also the credibility of the EU and the defence of democracy. Yet in the midst of the economic and financial crisis neither the European institutions nor their politicians can be bothered with such matters." (18/01/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Hungary, » Europe
Who's saying what » Resistance to Hungarian government

Magyar Nemzet - Hungary

The three treaty violation proceedings against Hungary above all strengthen the right-wing extremists, writes the conservative daily Magyar Nemzet: "The mutual accusations cannot go on indefinitely. But basically what we're seeing is the following: the European Union currently has no trust in Hungary. It doesn't believe Hungary will emerge from the deep economic crisis, and it questions our belief in democratic values. Of course you can get mad about that, but it's better to clarify these reservations. Quite apart from the fact that now is really not the time for sulking. ... It cannot be in the interest of the EU to force Hungary to its knees and spank its behind for all to see. ... The pedantic tone from Brussels is only grist to the mill of the radicals who burn EU flags in public. Is that really what you want, my dear Sirs?" (18/01/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Politics, » Hungary, » Europe
All available articles from » Gábor Stier
Who's saying what » Resistance to Hungarian government

Die Presse - Austria

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is ready to make concessions to the EU Commission in the dispute over the treaty violation proceedings launched by Brussels. He has no choice in the matter, writes the liberal-conservative daily Die Presse: "Hungary is being turned into a testing ground for a simplified policy in which the realities of international economic integration are blended out just as much as the basic rules for the self-cleansing of state institutions. ... This country will not find a simple way out of the crisis without the help of its European partners. Austria must be aware of this. Hungary is our 'Greece next door'. The example of Hungary puts the lie to all those who see an answer to the current economic challenges in a return to nationalism. Hungary has its own currency, not the euro, so it can devaluate to stimulate competitiveness at least on the short term. But nothing comes of nothing. The country lacks fundamentals, it lacks openness, it lacks an international perspective." (18/01/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Domestic Policy, » Hungary
All available articles from » Wolfgang Böhm
Who's saying what » Resistance to Hungarian government

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