European Council Summit & Rule of Law

Following the the discussions on the rule of law at tonight's European Council summit, Philippe Lamberts MEP, President of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament, comments:
 
"It's shameful that Hungary and Poland are attempting to derail the entire Recovery Plan and MFF because their governments no longer stand for the values on which this Union is built. If Orbán's Hungary and Kaczyński's Poland were candidates to join the EU today they would be rejected. There is no European Union without European values, which include democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights.
 
"The Parliament has done our job and we stand united behind what has already been agreed, now it's up to the Council. The Council has had years to address the burgeoning rule of law crisis but has shirked their responsibility at every opportunity. The German Presidency and all EU countries must decide if they are willing to stand up for European values or let wannabe autocrats strip away rights and trample on democracy. President Michel, President von der Leyen, Chancellor Merkel and all EU leaders must use the time until the next summit to find a resolution to this crisis that stands firm behind the rule of law."