Economy: Despite Orbán’s outbreak, Von der Leyen trusts the EU commissioner criticized by the government

“The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is working closely with Vice President Vera Jourová on the rule of law, and the President has full confidence in the Vice President,” the European Commission spokeswoman said on Tuesday, Dana Spinant. The junta announced this after a letter from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán asked von der Leyen to remove Jourová. Orbán also announced that he would suspend contact with the vice president of the EU Securities Commission.

The wrath of Prime Minister Jourová Spiegeltriggered by a statement that was given. The Czech politician told the German newspaper that Orban is building a sick democracy that has nothing to do with the anti-liberalism he prefers to mention. He also added that the Hungarians are not in a position to form an independent opinion.

In his letter, Orbán said that Jourová’s resignation was “absolutely necessary.” According to the Hungarian Government, Jourová’s statements on Hungary are contrary to its neutral institutional role and objective declared in the EU Treaties.

Previously, Jourová was an important reference for the Hungarian government after the enactment of the Authorization Law. In May, the government was pleased to say that, according to the vice president, Hungary’s Authorization Law was not contrary to EU law. Jourová later, however, a Frankfurter Allgemeine ZeitungIn an interview, he said he never said that.

However, the unusual outburst was presumably not the only antecedent to the interview then or now. The Czech EU commissioner will present the annual report on the rule of law for all member states at a press conference on Wednesday. The document, which now takes an in-depth look at the rule of law for the first time, will be debated and adopted by the European Commission at its meeting on Wednesday. The spokesperson also noted that the Commission’s position on the state of Hungarian democracy would be known from this report. The report will provide a basis for dialogue with the member state, Spinant said, adding that Von der Leyen would respond to Orban’s letter shortly.

The Hungarian Prime Minister’s letter caused a major storm in Brussels and most EU politicians rejected the attack on Jourova.

“With these provocations, Orbán is taking it to the next level,” Dutch liberal MEP Sophie in ‘t Veld wrote on Twitter.

“Could we stop this circus, Judit Varga? Vera Jourová did not call Hungary a “sick democracy”, but called her vision of Orbán’s country a “sick democracy”. This campaign of intimidation must end! It’s not good for the credibility of the government. “

Said the Green Party Sergey Lagodinsky in a message to the Hungarian Minister of Justice.

The Commission seemed more lenient than this, but criticized the Hungarian government’s response. “The Commission is still ready for dialogue, our door is always open,” said Commission spokesman Christian Wigan, emphasizing that commissioners must be able to negotiate with member states on everything, including difficult issues, to find a solution. together. According to the EU treaties, the EU institutions and the member states must work together “in good faith”, he added.

But was the vice president really contrary to EU standards?

Regarding the role of the European Commission, expected behavior of Commissioners, the Lisbon Treaty establishes that the members of the Commission “cannot request or accept instructions from any government, institution, body, office or body”. In addition, the members of the Commission are completely independent, while “they abstain from any act incompatible with their functions or the performance of their duties.” Commissioners can be called to resign by the President of the Commission or removed by the European Parliament.

More recently, Phil Hogan, the Irish member of the European Commission responsible for trade, was forced to resign after it was revealed that he had breached Irish regulations on protection against the coronavirus. Participated in an event with more people than allowed. He was not called to resign by the Irish government (and neither was Von der Leyen), he was simply asked to reconsider his role and responsibilities in this matter.

The Hungarian government has asked commissioners even more strongly to leave in recent years. In spring 2017, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó asked Frans Timmermans, then the EU’s Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, First Vice President, to resign, saying he had raped Hungarians. Timmermans also had a “crime” in an interview with a newspaper in which he described one of Viktor Orbán’s speeches in the European Parliament as anti-Semitic, thus the Hungarian Prime Minister described György Soros as an “American financial speculator”. It was later revealed that this was just the beginning of the Hungarian campaign against Timmermans, who harshly criticized the government over rule of law issues, which later culminated in the 2019 EP election campaign, when the left-wing politician was slapped in the posters by Fidesz.

In 2016, however, Csaba Molnár, DK MEP, launched an investigation into the case of the Hungarian commissioner Tibor Navracsics in the then chairman of the committee, Jean-Claude Juncker. Navracsics voted no in the quota referendum, thus opposing one of the European Commission decisions on refugee relocation. Navracsics and Timmermans also remained in place.

By the way, the first report on the rule of law, which covers all EU Member States, was written precisely to defend the Hungarian accusations that the Commission had fired Hungary and Poland for political interests and was therefore attacking them. on the basis of the rule of law. That is why the Commission is now examining all Member States. The first version of the report was sent to member states for comment, and the Hungarian government criticized the entire procedure.