We continue to stand up for the original European People’s Party position, which firmly rejects the instrument of political blackmailing!

In the plenary debate on the preparations for the December European Council, Tamás Deutsch, Head of the Fidesz-KDNP delegation assured the European Parliament of his support for the original European People’s Party (EPP) position of rejecting the political extortion instrument, the so-called “rule of law conditionality”. The Fidesz MEP reaffirmed all the concerns previously expressed by European People’s Party politicians, such as Donald Tusk, Jean-Claude Juncker and Manfred Weber, about the “criteria of the rule of law conditionality”. 

In his speech, MEP Tamás Deutsch recalled that Donald Tusk, President of the European People’s Party, had said that “making EU budget resources conditional on the rule of law is a risky move and points to the wrong direction.” According to Tusk: “It wouldn’t be good for Europe to confuse these two regulations. The resources we allocate to the various tasks in the budget must not be subject to purely political criteria.” 

The Fidesz politician explained that EPP member Jean-Claude Juncker, in his position as President of the European Commission, had put the proposal in a way that would make access to EU funding subject to the rule of law: “I am of the opinion that we shouldn’t do that. I don’t think threats were a good way to impose (…) respect for the rule of law (…) I believe it won’t be helpful to divide the European Union. That would be poison for the Continent.” 

Tamás Deutsch also recalled that Manfred Weber had explained in relation to the conditionality of the rule of law that common values are not concrete but abstract categories, that the protection of the law community must not be influenced by everyday political beliefs and there is a danger that the rule of law procedure will be used in political conflicts, therefore it is not a new political actionism that is needed.  

German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated about the situation stemming from the lack of agreement between Hungary and Poland that “If the European Parliament establishes a majority, but there is no unanimity in the European Council between the Heads of State and Government, then this shall not be possible … on the one hand, there shall be the unanimity of the Member States…” According to the Fidesz politician, Angela Merkel is also right. 

Finally, he confirmed on behalf of the Fidesz-KDNP Delegation to the European Parliament: “We continue to support the original EPP position, which rejects the instrument of political blackmailing!”