We have come to defend Hungary, Justice Minister Judit Varga stated arriving at the meeting of EU ministers in Brussels where on Monday ministers will conduct a hearing about the proceedings instituted against Hungary under Article Seven.
In answer to a question, Mrs Varga expressed hope that upon criticising Hungary, Member States will remain on the footing of the law and will abstain from applying double standards, and that the procedure will not be political in its nature.
“I sincerely hope that this will be a fair and evidence-based discussion,” the Justice Minister added.
In September 2018, the European Parliament adopted a position in which it recommended for the Council to establish on the basis of Article 7(1) of the Treaties of the European Union that in Hungary there is a clear threat of the violation of the EU’s core values. The Hungarian government described the Sargentini report and its adoption as politically motivated revenge with which the European Parliament’s pro-immigration majority sought to punish Hungary due to its position rejecting migration and the mandatory quotas.
The report compiled by Dutch green-party MEP Judith Sargentini levelled criticisms at Hungary in connection with the state of the rule of law in Hungary, including the functioning of the constitutional and electoral systems, the independence of the judiciary, corruption, freedom of expression and academic freedom.