EU: Hungary under pressure?
Twenty EU member states have published a joint declaration calling on the EU to exhaust all sanction options against Hungary if Budapest refuses to withdraw restrictions on LGBT rights adopted in March and April. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has also brought sanctions against Hungary and Slovakia into play over their Ukraine and Russia policies, which deviate from those of the majority in the bloc.
Patience has run out
The law still protects Hungary from the full wrath of the EU majority for now, 444 concludes:
“There is not much chance of making significant progress within the current legal framework, since concrete sanctions against Hungary, including the withdrawal of voting rights which is sometimes mentioned as the 'nuclear option', would require the consent of all member states. ... It is therefore notable that several member states are demanding with growing impatience that something finally be done. ... Germany's stance is particularly interesting. The new German government was formed only three weeks ago, but it has already clearly signalled several times that it is ready to take a tougher stance vis-à-vis Hungary.”
Take tough action – also in self-defence
The EU must stand firm also for its own sake and its future, La Libre Belgique demands:
“How will a country that maintains close ties with US president Trump, Moscow and Beijing behave in the future? This question touches on the security of the EU. Hungary is exceeding limits. Its violations of the rule of law are serious and persistent: Budapest is undermining the European project from within. We must act accordingly, imposing even tougher financial penalties and perhaps even depriving it of its voice on the European stage. If the EU proves incapable of sanctioning a member state that is turning into a democtatorship, it will pay a high price.”
Chancellor overshooting the mark
Pravda comments that Friedrich Merz's criticism of Slovakia is justified but not very diplomatic:
“Merz is right: two small countries cannot be allowed to block important EU decisions. ... The EU will not make progress like this; on the contrary, it will begin to disintegrate. There must be a serious discussion on this issue in the bloc. ... We should not underestimate our partners' perception of Slovakia. But Merz himself should realise that he is now heading the government and no longer the head of the German branch of a notorious US hedge fund. Having received a big political slap in the face in his first attempt to gain the confidence of the Bundestag, a little humility would do him no harm.”
Reservations over Ukraine are in Europe's interest
Hungary's opposition to Ukraine joining the EU is well-founded, pro-government Magyar Nemzet contends:
“If Hungary's voting rights are revoked, all obstacles to the immediate EU accession of a country at war would be removed. ... This is also a question of Brussels running the risk of having to declare bankruptcy within a few years. ... According to the international rating agency Fitch, Ukraine is insolvent [in 'restricted default' according to rating agencies], inflation is rising and the country's economic and governmental stability is deteriorating. Its report underlines the fact that the costs of rebuilding Ukraine will be extraordinarily high and the stresses the severity of the corruption there.”