In terms of respect for the rule of law, it is not doing enough and even if all agreed and committed measures were fully implemented, “they were not sufficient to address the systemic risk to the EU’s financial interests”. For this reason, the European Parliament is demanding that Hungary be excluded from the payment of Community funds. There is €7.5 billion at stake, already at risk of freezing due to problems related to corruption and public procurement. The European Parliament is asking to move in this direction by adopting a resolution that is not legislative in nature but that contains a very clear political message, which is rejected by the majority forces in Italy.
The text was adopted with 416 yes, 124 no and 33 abstentions. Among the dissenting votes are the Lega and Brothers of Italy MPs, who reiterate their sympathy and support for Viktor Orban’s Hungary, sparking an all-Italian debate in the Twelve Star Hall.
“The resolution of the European Parliament on the rule of law in Hungary goes in the right direction,” stresses Laura Ferrara, MEP of the 5 Star Movement, which was awaiting the passage of the majority forces in Italy. “The Meloni government will have to decide whether to side with Orban or the whole European Union, which demands respect for the most elementary fundamental rights.” The MEPs from Fratelli d’Italia and Lega have spoken.
In the ranks of the Conservative Group (Ecr), Berlato, Fidanza, Fiocchi, Milazzo, Nesci, Procaccini and Sofo vote unanimously in defense of their friend from Budapest, as do the deputies of the Carroccio, of which only the Anna comes Bonfrisco, who instead votes in favor of freezing European funds to “protect the EU budget from breaches of the rule of law in Hungary”, as stated in the text of the resolution. Not only. Even in the event that Hungary were to stop trying to correct the situation, the Commission and above all the states assembled in the Council would be called upon to carry out a “financial correction”, ie to close the faucet on the Community loan.
This is the latest new act in an increasingly frontal confrontation between the European Parliament and Viktor Orban’s government. At the September plenary session just two months ago, Parliament adopted a resolution accusing Hungary of no longer being a democracy but an “electoral autocracy”.