Belgium, which currently presides over the EU Council, calls on other European countries to consider the procedure of depriving Hungary of the right to vote, which is supposed to head the European Council next month.
Points of attention
- Belgium advocates depriving Hungary of the right to vote in the Council of the EU before Budapest's presidency starts.
- The procedure of deprivation of the right to vote is an extreme measure aimed at punishing an EU member state for violating democratic principles.
- Hungary is under the Article 7 procedure due to the systematic violation of European values and the complication of collective decision-making.
- Belgium emphasizes the importance of compliance by EU member states with values and obligations and proposes to reform mechanisms in case of non-compliance
- Depriving Hungary of the right to vote may affect the EU and the country's account in relations with other EU countries.
Belgium demands a procedure to deprive Hungary of the right to vote in the EU
According to Hadja Lahbib, the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs chief, Budapest must be subject to the no-confidence procedure following Article 7 of the EU Treaty.
This is an extreme measure that, if adopted, deprives the country of the right to vote in the EU Council.
We have a Europe that is struggling to move forward, and unfortunately some states — one in particular — are increasingly taking a blocking and veto stance. I think that we should have the courage to make a decision: to go to the end of Article 7, to activate Article 7 to the end, which provides for the termination of the right of veto, stressed Hadja Lahbib.
What is known about the procedure of depriving Hungary of the vote right in the adoption of EU collective decisions?
The first stage of Hungary's disenfranchisement was launched in 2018 but did not receive unanimous approval from all member states.
The next stage of this procedure is considered the most radical, as it guarantees that the country will be deprived of the right to vote when other EU members adopt collective decisions.
Hungary is set to take over the presidency of the EU Council in July, giving Budapest more power to set the agenda and priorities for six months, even as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán continues to block EU decisions on key issues.
This is the moment of truth. Or we fulfill our duties, which requires political courage and willpower. Or we create mechanisms that do not work. So we have to make a choice. If we go all the way with this mechanism, it should work. If it doesn't work, we have to reform it. This is the future of the European Union, — emphasised the head of Belgian diplomacy.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Budapest has consistently slowed EU aid to Ukraine or refused it altogether.
The European Parliament and Germany have questioned Budapest's ability to lead the EU Council from July 1. Still, according to Lahbib, Belgium insisted that Hungary must fulfil its duties until the end of the term.
It is also a reminder that being a member of the European Union means respecting values, having rights, access to funds, being part of the single market, respecting the values of freedom, freedom of expression and the independence of the judiciary. That is why Hungary is now under the Article 7 procedure and is becoming more and more isolated, added Hadja Lahbib.
