Index – Foreigner – Vera Jourová: There is something wrong with Hungarian democracy



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Despite being harshly attacked by the Orbán government, Vera Jourová maintains that something is wrong with Hungarian democracy, according to an interview given by the European Commission’s vice president for values ​​and transparency to the German news magazine Spiegel.

The interview behind the pay door was covered by Népszava. Vera Jourová reiterated that she considered Hungarian democracy “yes” to be sick, and said this was supported by the lack of various components of the rule of law. Just think of restricting freedom of the press or the margin of maneuver of the civil sphere, he said.

The Vice-President of the Commission also referred to the rule of law mechanism, which allows the European Union to withdraw financial support from EU member states that do not respect democratic principles. This was adopted in December 2020 as part of the seven-year budget, and Hungary and Poland challenged it in the European Court of Justice in March. Vera Jourová pointed out in this regard that the verdict could be handed down in the second half of 2021, after which sanctions could be imposed, but He added that sanctions should not be allowed to indirectly affect the citizens of a given country. meHe also recalled that proceedings under Article 7 of the Lisbon Treaty had already been initiated against Hungary and Poland. Both processes ran aground and his nightmare is that the mechanism of the rule of law will suffer a similar fate.

With regard to “sick democracy”, Vera Jourová has only reiterated the turn with which the Orbán government once apostrophized Hungary in September 2020. Statement by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to Ursula von der Leyen, President of the Commission European Parliament, noting the suspension of bilateral political relations with the Vice-President of the Board. The Hungarian Prime Minister also wanted Vera Jourová to resign, butUrsula von der Leyen said no.

Gergely Gulyás, the prime minister, recently accused the vice president of the European Commission of hating Hungary, Vera Jourová now he told Spiegel that this was not true at all. He grew up in the former Czechoslovakia, where Hungary embodied freedom, and how good, he hoped, would be to set an example for the whole world again.



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