The European Union's legal service has found that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's talks with Vladimir Putin during his trip to Russia violate treaties EU.
About it writes The Financial Times, citing diplomatic sources, reported that on July 10, the EU legal service informed member states of Orban's violation. It is emphasized that Orban's actions violated EU treaties that prohibit any “measures that could jeopardize the achievement of the union's objectives.”
The Hungarian prime minister also violated a provision calling on all members to conduct their foreign policy “unconditionally in a spirit of loyalty and mutual solidarity,” the FT's sources added. Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, called Orban's trip to Moscow “a political mistake” in a comment to the Financial Times, stressing that in his ten years in the EU, he had “never seen such a strong reaction from 26 other countries” to the actions of one.
Charles Michel noted that he met with Orban at the NATO summit and is in contact with other EU leaders to decide how to proceed.
Previously A number of European leaders criticized Orban's “peacekeeping” visit to Moscow, and European Council President Charles Michel noted that he does not have a mandate to interact with Russia on behalf of the EU.
The President of the Liberal Group of the European Parliament, Valerie Ayer, calls on the European Council take action against Hungary because of the foreign visits of its Prime Minister Viktor Orban, which undermine the unity of the European Union.
According to the MEP representing French President Emmanuel Macron's Renaissance party, Orban's actions “undermine the positions adopted by the European Union and act against our interests.” She stressed:
“It is time to put an end to Viktor Orbán's dishonest presidency of the EU Council. His supposed peacekeeping mission is a security threat, his isolated communication is a smokescreen for his own interests and is failing miserably.”
She also condemned Hungary's attempts to manipulate the EU Council Presidency “in order to carry out sham peace missions to Kyiv, Moscow, Beijing and Washington, while promoting messages that contradict the positions adopted by the EU.” The MEP concluded:
“Finally, Renew Europe demands that the Council and the Commission take responsibility and finally take further steps to implement Article 7, which could lead to Hungary being deprived of its voting rights.”
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