According to Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Germany is in favor of freezing EU billions in payments to Hungary. As a Federal Republic, you supported “the very good proposals of the EU Commission,” said the Green politician on the sidelines of a meeting with colleagues from the other EU member states in Brussels. “This is about our values, about our rule of law as a European Union as a whole.”
The EU Commission had recently renewed a recommendation according to which EU funding of around 7.5 billion euros intended for Hungary should be frozen until the right-wing government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban has fully implemented promises to uphold the rule of law. The other EU member states are now to vote on the proposal. A qualified majority would be required for acceptance – that is, at least 15 of the 27 EU countries would have to agree and together make up at least 65 percent of the total population of the EU.
Above all, the proposals are very well thought out on the basis of the legal provisions, said Baerbock on Monday in Brussels. This is “the be-all and end-all”.
The further developments are eagerly awaited, above all because Hungary has considerable means at its disposal to exert pressure on the EU. For example, the government in Budapest could block all decisions that require unanimity in the EU. This applies, for example, to sanctions against Russia or decisions on the international minimum tax.
