FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT
BRUSSELS – The document, written by EU Council officials and published by the Financial Times, is a coincidence and describes “ways to sabotage Hungary's economy unless it agrees to give up its veto on Ukraine's financing plan at a special summit this week.” “.
Prime Minister Orbán rejects the 50 billion aid plan for Kiev, which is to be financed from the Community budget. He had already vetoed the European Council in December and in an attempt to overcome the problem, an extraordinary European Council was convened for February 1st. EU leaders' patience appears to be running out, but the official line so far with Budapest is one of dialogue despite the difficulties. However, in order to increase the pressure on Orbán, rumors have been circulating for days, which are then downplayed by the member states (they have the final decision on how they want to help Ukraine).
The latest episode is the document with the strategy to weaken the Hungarian economy, which the EU Commission said it was unaware of: “It refers to a Council official.” “We have not seen the document and are not in a position to to comment on this,” said a spokesman. “The plan would be based on a commitment from other EU leaders,” reports the Financial Times, “to freeze all EU funds in Budapest in the event of a veto from Orbán, leading to a possible decline in investor confidence in the country would.”
The document is a real diplomatic boomerang that allowed Balázs Orbán, the political director of the Hungarian prime minister, to play the role of the victim and write about the proposed compromise.” According to the FT, Budapest would have “changed the EU budget and even accepted a new joint debt as long as it would have retained the right to review the package every year and block it if necessary”. For Balázs Orbán “it is now very clear: this is blackmail and has nothing to do with the rule of law.” And now they don't even try to hide it anymore!'
European diplomatic sources quickly downplayed the Council's text, saying that “it does not set out a concrete plan regarding the EU budget and instrument for Ukraine, nor a plan regarding Hungary.” An EU official said: “The document referred to in the Financial Times article is an information note prepared by the Council Secretariat under its own responsibility, describing the current state of the Hungarian economy.” fact-based document that does not reflect the status of the ongoing negotiations on the multiannual financial framework among the Sherpas and at the level of EU Heads of State and Government.” Above all, “it does not draw up a plan, but makes a proposal that is not in line with the Negotiations are ongoing.” In addition, it is made clear that “the discussions on the EU budget are still ongoing and are always based on the search for a compromise acceptable to all 27 EU Member States.” The negotiations between Sherpas and EU heads of state and government are based on the principles of dialogue, consultation and compromise in the interests of all.”
However, the diplomatic damage is now done. Last Friday, the hypothesis was spread that a certain number of Member States are considering activating the adoption of the Article 7 procedure for systematic violation of EU values, which would deprive Budapest of its voting rights in the Council. A step that requires unanimity in the final phase and on which there is still no consensus among EU countries. Meanwhile, some of Hungary's funds remain blocked: the European Commission froze 21.7 billion in EU funds a year ago for violating the rule of law, but on the eve of the December summit it released 10.2 billion because of Budapest's shortcomings on the rule of law and independence of the judiciary (decision contested by the EU Parliament with a non-binding political resolution). However, Hungary has not yet received a single euro of the 10.4 billion Pnrr, as it has only achieved 4 of the 27 planned “super milestones”. Therefore, over 20 billion remain frozen.