The team of Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, with its statements and actions, provoked a harsh reaction from the European Union member states. Sabotage of anti-Russian sanctions and support for Ukraine by Hungary have led to the fact that official Brussels is determined to deprive the country of its voting rights.
Points of attention
- The possibility of invoking Article 7 against Hungary, which involves depriving a member state of its voting rights, is being openly discussed by EU officials as a potential 'nuclear scenario'.
- If Hungary continues its blackmail attempts, the EU may move forward with the tough decision of stripping Hungary of its voting rights, highlighting the growing tensions within the union.
The EU is ready for radical action
As journalists managed to find out, European diplomats held discussions with the Hungarian ambassador in Brussels.
What is important to understand is that the latter demanded that Russian oligarch Mikhail Fridman and seven other people be removed from the sanctions list.
Moreover, as it turned out, Viktor Orban's team threatened to refuse to support the extension of some anti-Russian sanctions for another six months.
The European Union was most shocked by Hungary's latest attempt to blackmail other countries in order to obtain benefits for Russia. Against this background, EU members are already losing patience.
Many officials are once again openly discussing the possibility of invoking Article 7 against Hungary—the nuclear scenario of depriving a member state of its voting rights—while fully aware of the political challenges and consequences of such a move.
According to insiders, if Hungary repeats its blackmail in July, when a decision is made to extend economic sanctions against Russia, the EU may indeed make this tough decision.
