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In the dispute over the blocking of the EU budget and the Corona aid fund by Hungary and Poland, no solution is in sight. Both countries reaffirmed their position. Apparently there are considerations of organizing crown aid without both countries.
Following the blocking of the EU budget and economic aid from the Crown by Hungary and Poland, a video summit has yet to bring a solution. Chancellor Angela Merkel informed the other heads of state and government why Germany currently presides over the 27 countries.
According to information from EU circles, Hungary and Poland reaffirmed their stance of blockade. After a brief debate, the current agenda continued without a breakthrough: coordination in the Corona crisis. It was about mutual recognition of corona tests, preparations for vaccines and a common approach to lifting corona restrictions, as announced by EU Council Leader Charles Michel.
The budget package is locked in for seven years.
Hungary and Poland vetoed a central budget decision on Monday. They run into a new clause to reduce funds in case of certain violations of the rule of law in host countries. With his No, the entire budget package of € 1.8 trillion is locked in for the next seven years for now. That includes € 750 billion in aid from the crown, which many EU countries urgently await.
According to the ARD Correspondent Markus Preiss it is the end of the patience of many states. There are considerations that if Poland and Hungary do not give in, they will organize Corona aid without both countries.
Chancellor Merkel described the dispute as “a very serious problem that we have to solve. We will work hard and seriously on it.” When asked if it was an option for her to threaten Poland and Hungary with disenfranchisement, Merkel said: “For me, the word threat is not a word in this context anyway. We have a duty to try to find a way to find. “
Merkel also said she saw little chance of giving in to the dispute with Hungary and Poland over the link between the rule of law and the disbursement of EU funds.
Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas stressed that many EU states are not ready to make big commitments on the rule of law. “We are in a very difficult situation,” said the SPD politician.
The new clause on the rule of law had already been agreed in principle in July, when the heads of state and government tied the budget package of 1.8 trillion euros in a five-day summit. But the formulation was very vague at the time.
Hungary and Poland complain that the agreements at that time were not properly applied. The German Presidency of the Council of the EU negotiated the details with the European Parliament. The EU Parliament does not want to walk away from him, as declared by President David Sassoli together with the group’s leaders.
“Slap in the face for all Europeans”
CSU politician Manfred Weber, leader of the European People’s Party group, said he could not understand why Poland and Hungary complained about the clause. In the end, each country has the opportunity to appeal to the Court of Justice of the European Communities against the reduction of funds. Green politician Franziska Brantner called the Hungarian and Polish veto a “slap in the face for all Europeans.”
