MEPs ‘treated rudely’ during visit to Budapest

BUDAPEST (ANP) – The parliamentarians were in Budapest for three days to map out “the latest developments in the field of democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental rights.” In addition to discussions with Hungarian authorities, they also spoke with NGOs, journalists, and civil society organizations.

The parliamentarians got the impression that the government itself decides which statements from the European Court are “good or bad” and that it decides whether to comply based on that. Hungarian ministers did not want to engage in conversation with the delegation, which Dutch MEP Tineke Strik (GroenLinks-PvdA) calls “concerning.”

According to the parliamentarians, the rule of law in Hungary has deteriorated. They specifically refer to a law that prohibits gatherings deemed harmful to children. This law has led to the ban of the Pride march in June in the capital.

The findings from the visit will be presented in a report after the summer. Strik, the special rapporteur for the European Parliament on Hungary, will inform the EU ministers of General Affairs, often the foreign ministers, about this. They will discuss, among other things, the rule of law in Hungary at the end of May.

European Commissioner Michael McGrath (Justice) reiterated on Wednesday that Hungary must adhere to EU rule of law, but that it has already used the corrective instruments at its disposal. “18 billion euros in subsidies and loans is currently not available to Hungary due to violations of the rule of law,” he said.

The activation of Article 7, which could strip Hungary of its veto power, is still on the table, McGrath said. However, consensus from the other EU member states is needed for that. That consensus is still lacking.

(April 16, 2025)