An ill wind in Budapest | 18 comments (18 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: An ill wind in Budapest (4.00 / 5)

The EU plays multiple ambiguous roles in this.

The Commission did strongly criticise some key legal changes 15 months ago, and threatened to launch infringement proceedings. This did force Fidesz into significant concessions, in particular regarding the central bank, which seemed to be the priority of the Commission. But then that was it. It may start again, though, after this (also here).
The EP is louder on the issue, but powerless. Still, their calls for getting serious with infringement proceedings, ultimately leading to the suspension of EU payouts to Hungary, may be heeded. In the EP, previously, the EPP tried to sabotage a wider criticism of Orbán's policies. However, now that conservative governments are miffed, too, EPP MEPs may change tune, too.
In Fidesz's propaganda, while general Euroscepticism and cursing at 'commands from Brussels' did appear, up until now, every effort was made to paint all criticism from the EU as an ideologically motivated leftist campaign, ignoring that some of the harshest critics, namely Commissioners Neelie Kroes and Viviane Reding, weren't leftist. But now even Merkel voiced (muted) criticism and Reding is louder than Martin Schulz, thus this fantasy can't be maintained for much longer.
On the other hand, whatever the EU will do will be too late too little and no substitute for active domestic opposition. Among supporters of the current democratic opposition, I sense a widespread illusory hope that 'the EU' will eventually step in and put an end to this. But you just have to look at Greece to measure Commission and Council commitment to democracy.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Tue Mar 19th, 2013 at 07:12:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: An ill wind in Budapest (none / 1)

Thanks. I suspect it would take "tanks in the streets" before the EU got serious about this. In the meantime any threats to EU Treaties/policies may result in warning noises. I suspect and regret that real change will depend on democratic opposition forces acting almost without any support - until prominent people start getting killed...

I wouldn't underestimate the power of opposition figures lobbying EP parliamentarians directly via email/social media about what is happening and keeping a daily newsflow coming out of Hungary. Many EP members will be quite supportive on human rights issues regardless of their economic ideological leanings.

Index of Frank's Diaries

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Tue Mar 19th, 2013 at 07:23:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: An ill wind in Budapest (4.00 / 2)

It's not like that's not being done. For the previous round of EU attention to Hungary, read EP vs. Fidesz-Hungary: Not Lost in Translation, and the comment with the naming and shaming of EPP MEPs in the 18 January 2012 EP debate.

I also forgot to link to this; but a better summary of early March EU reactions is below:

Hungary throws down gauntlet to EU | European Voice

...Thorbjørn Jagland, the secretary-general of the Council of Europe, has said that some of the amendments introduced today reintroduce legal provisions annulled by the constitutional court.
He said last Wednesday (6 March) that the return of these clauses endangered "the fundamental principle of checks and balances in a democracy".
His declaration prompted José Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, to call and write to Orbán on Friday. The United States also said on Friday that the amendments - now approved - could threaten "the principles of institutional independence".
...No leading EU politician or official has explicitly called for EU to be stripped of its voting rights in the EU's institutions, though Swoboda said that the EU might need "to make use of all measures available".
Four foreign ministers - from Germany, Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands - on Wednesday (7 March) said that the European Union needed a "a new and more effective mechanism to safeguard fundamental values in member states is needed".

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Wed Mar 20th, 2013 at 06:39:09 AM EST
[ Parent ]

An ill wind in Budapest | 18 comments (18 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Top Diaries

Ruble and Yuan

What's Next, After the Slam?

Struggle NWO Unipolar or Multilateralism

City Agriculture - March 17, 2023

Shock Election Loss Rutte IV In Senate Race

Honduras Establishes Close Ties with China

A Return to Normalcy?

A Grand Slam for Ireland?

Recent Diaries

April 2023

Ruble and Yuan

The Insurrection President Indicted

KS: Barrister, Judge, Prison Warden, Assassin

History Hillsdale College, Alumni and Domestic Terror

Struggle NWO Unipolar or Multilateralism

Neo-Nazi Marches Across Europe

Fascism Unites America, Israel and EU Neo-Nazis

What's Next, After the Slam?

Settler Extremism Blessed by Jerusalem Leaders

US Interference In Lebanon-Syria-Ira
q

City Agriculture - March 17, 2023

Shock Election Loss Rutte IV In Senate Race

Stalemate Endures, Pessimism Grows, Deaths Mount

Honduras Establishes Close Ties with China

A Grand Slam for Ireland?

Living In Spain and Social-Democracy

USA Censorship Act to Kill Disinformation

Flying Fortresses and Nuclear Threat

Universal Criticism Asylum Threshold EU Fortress

Occasional Series