Hungary’s blackmail attempts shows urgent need to drop national vetoes

At today’s ECOFIN meeting of EU economic and finance ministers, the Hungarian government announced that it intends to block a decision on approving 18 billion EUR of financial assistance to Ukraine. Decisions on the issues of the global minimum tax rate, the Hungarian government's Recovery Plan, and the Commission’s Rule of Law Conditionality Mechanism Assessment for Hungary were postponed.

Terry Reintke MEP, Greens/EFA Group President, comments: 

“Once again the Hungarian government has blocked urgently needed additional assistance to Ukraine. No progress is possible on vital files such as the minimum tax rate for multinationals. Viktor Orbán is attempting to blackmail the EU into freeing up funds that could be frozen under the conditionality mechanism. 

“The fact that Orbán is blocking financial assistance to Ukraine speaks volumes about the side that he’s on. We cannot let this stand. The EU cannot continue to try and appease an outright autocrat like Viktor Orbán. The Council must move beyond national vetoes if the EU is to function properly.”

Philippe Lamberts MEP, Greens/EFA Group President, comments: 

“At the next EUCO, EU leaders must stand up to Orbán’s bullying and blackmail. We cannot allow an issue as important as the rule of law to be cast to the wind every time an autocrat such as Viktor Orbán attempts to shake down the EU. 

“That Orbán is so ready to ignore the needs of his neighbouring Ukrainians shows that he is only concerned about preserving his own pockets. The minimum tax rate deal has been on the table for over a year and is urgently needed. Yet, so long as we have national vetoes, Orbán will use this file and others as leverage.”

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The EUCO summit of European heads of state and governments will meet on December 15-16th.