In an extraordinary speech to the European Parliament, with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán watching on, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen launched a blow-by-blow attack on his government.
In an extraordinary speech to the European Parliament, with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán watching on, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen launched a blow-by-blow attack on his government.Hungary’s government has long been a thorn in the EU’s side with relations becoming increasingly difficult. But until now, EU leaders have been guarded in their criticism of one of their own member states.
“And how can it be that the Hungarian government would allow Chinese police to operate within its territory?Earlier this year, the Hungarian government signed an agreement to allow ‘joint patrols’ with Chinese police on the streets of Budapest. The prime minister’s office said at the time that the patrols “will help with tourists” and claimed other European countries had similar arrangements.
“All 27 agreed to diversify away from Russian fossil fuels as soon as possible” after the start of the war, said von der Leyen. “How can a government be trusted by European businesses if it targets them with arbitrary inspections, blocks their permits, if public contracts mostly go to a small group of beneficiaries?” she asked.
That strategy – which has lasted for years with increasing unease – has now been blown out of the water.Hungary currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Council during which it is supposed to play ‘honest broker’ on behalf of the member states in the lawmaking process.
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