Wednesday

6th Dec 2023

Von der Leyen criticises Hungary, but fails to mention it

  • Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban and EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen (here shaking hands before the coronavirus outbreak) have sought to ease tensions between the EU executive and Hungary (Photo: European Commission)

EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen warned member state governments on Tuesday (31 March) not to weaken fundamental rights and democratic values in their fight against the coronavirus.

But the commission chief did not name Hungary in her statement, where on Monday prime minister Viktor Orban's two-thirds majority in parliament granted his government indefinite and sweeping emergency powers.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

Von der Leyen said that even in challenging times the EU's founding values of freedom, democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights should be defended.

She conceded governments need to have the necessary tools to act rapidly and protect citizens, referring to the state of emergency that had been introduced in some 15 EU countries and other extra measures capitals have taken.

"It is of outmost [sic] importance that emergency measures are not at the expense of our fundamental principles and values as set out in the treaties," the EU executive president wrote.

In a direct reference to the measures adopted in Hungary, von der Leyen wrote: "Democracy cannot work without free and independent media. Respect of freedom of expression and legal certainty are essential in these uncertain times. Now, it is more important than ever that journalists are able to do their job freely and precisely, so as to counter disinformation and to ensure that our citizens have access to crucial information."

The new emergency measures in Hungary include possible jail terms for publishing news deemed by the government fake or distorted, sparking concerns over media freedom in the country.

Hungary already ranks the lowest among EU members in the world press freedom index of the Reporters Without Borders organisation.

Von der Leyen insisted any measure must be limited, proportionate, and should not be indefinite, while governments must be subject to scrutiny.

The time limit for the new measures in Hungary lasts until the parliament decides to end them. But two-thirds of the assembly is dominated by Orban-loyal MPs, granting him control over any termination date.

The EU commission will "closely monitor, in the spirit of cooperation," the application of emergency measures in all member states, the statement adds.

With regards to Hungary, commission spokesperson Eric Mamer said that the executive will "analyse the final law" and monitor its application.

An EU official said that one of the key benchmarks to look at will be if the Orban government gives back the emergency powers once the crisis has subsided.

However, Daniel Hegedus, a fellow at the German Marshall Fund warned that even if the Orban government retracts the emergency measures, it does not make the system it had built before the crisis democratic.

The EU commissioners will meanwhile have a discussion on emergency measures taken by EU countries on Wednesday.

Hungarian government spokesman, Zoltan Kovacs, who gained notoriety in Brussels after live tweeting from a closed door session of EU ministers seized the opportunity of the commission's statement omitting Hungary, and retorted by saying that the new measures are in line with EU treaties.

Strained relations

Von der Leyen's statement comes after justice commissioner Didier Reynders on Monday already named Hungary as the focus of the commission's efforts to hold EU rules, amid a flurry of emergency measures.

Von der Leyen sought "a fresh start" at the start of her mandate with Hungary, and other central European countries, whose governments have come under EU scrutiny over democracy and rule of law.

Orban backed her nomination last June as head of the commission at the expense of Manfred Weber, the official candidate of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP), where they all belong.

The EU probe into Hungary's backsliding on democracy, the so-called Article 7 procedure is on a forced break as council meetings of EU ministers cannot be official unless are they take place physically.

MEPs have also criticised Hungary's move and called for the commission to act.

Socialist group leader Iratxe Garcia said there is "no excuse for an indefinite lockdown of democracy". Liberal Renew leader Dacian Ciolos called the Hungarian measures a "red alert for liberal democracy in Europe and beyond.

A group of more than a dozen MEPs from the largest political groups signed a petition calling for the protection of democracy in the coronavirus crisis, and have called for member states and the commission to act.

"Ursula von der Leyen has to recognise the seriousness of the situation and act," MEP Daniel Freund said, calling for the freezing of EU funds to Hungary and for the ruling Fidesz party to be finally kicked out of EPP.

Hungary's Orban seeks indefinite power in virus bill

In a draft bill Hungary's ruling government seeks special powers uncontrolled by parliament, election, referendums, courts for an indefinite amount of time, rights' groups worry. The bill could be vote on within eight days.

Orban granted indefinite 'authoritarian' power

Ushering in a new era for Hungary - and for the EU - the central European country becomes the first to be ruled by decree, after Orban's party forced virus emergency laws through parliament.

Opinion

Poland's sham presidential election in a pandemic

Declaring a state of emergency is not even an option on the table for Poland's Law and Justice (PiS) chairman Jarosław Kaczyński - as it would render the 10 May election impossible.

Opinion

Stopping the authoritarian rot in Europe

A few weeks ago, the European Union underwent a fundamental change: it ceased being a bloc of exclusively democratic states. Even worse - leaders across Europe barely flinched.

Hungary's new 'consultation' targets old foes

Migrants, Brussels, and US billionaire George Soros back in Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban's firing line, as politics returns and the pandemic dwindles.

Opinion

The EU's U-turn on caged farm animals — explained

A European citizens' initiative — signed by 1.4 million people — saw the EU Commission promise to ban cages for 300 million farmed animals. Then the farming lobby got involved.

Opinion

'Pay or okay?' — Facebook & Instagram vs the EU

Since last week, Mark Zuckerberg's Meta corporation is forcing its European users to either accept their intrusive privacy practices — or pay €156 per year to access Facebook and Instagram without tracking advertising.

Latest News

  1. A look to the past and the future of China-EU relations
  2. Tusk's difficult in-tray on Poland's judicial independence
  3. EU nears deal to fingerprint six year-old asylum seekers
  4. Orbán's Ukraine-veto threat escalates ahead of EU summit
  5. Can Green Deal survive the 2024 European election?
  6. Protecting workers' rights throughout the AI revolution
  7. Russia, the West, and the geopolitical 'touch-move rule'
  8. Afghanistan is a 'forever emergency,' says UN head

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  3. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  4. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?
  5. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  6. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. European Citizen's InitiativeThe European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  3. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  4. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersGlobal interest in the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations – here are the speakers for the launch
  6. Nordic Council of Ministers20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us