Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 13 sepTember 2018

EU lawmakers move to punish Hungary over rule of law

By LORNE COOK and refugees — also hailed
PABLO GORONDI the vote.
BRUSSELS (AP) — Hungarian "We welcome the Euro-
Prime Minister Viktor Orban pean Parliament's decision
suffered a rare political set- to defend the rule of law
back Wednesday as Eu- and confront the Hungar-
ropean Union lawmakers ian government's attempts
voted to pursue unprec- to shut down civil society
edented action against and independent voices in
his government for alleg- the media and academia,"
edly undermining the bloc's said Heather Grabbe, di-
democratic values and rector of the Open Society
rule of law. Hungary called European Policy Institute.
the action fraudulent and "MEPs across the political
vowed to challenge it. spectrum have taken a
Despite the official rebuke, historic stand in defending
Orban is showing no signs the EU's democratic values
of compromise. and the rights of its citizens."
While he seeks to keep his Grabbe's organization is
ruling Fidesz party within part of the Open Society
the conservative European Foundations set up by Hun-
People's Party, or EPP, the garian-American billionaire
largest and most powerful and philanthropist George
group in the European as- Soros, an ideological oppo-
sembly, its possible ouster Members of the European Parliament take part in a vote in Strasbourg, eastern France, Wednes- nent of Orban and blamed
may push him closer to day, Sept.12, 2018. by the Hungarian leader
other far-right groups in Associated Press for promoting mass immi-
Europe, like the national- gration into Europe. Soros
ist Alternative for Germany ist Party governments that gration issue, which he Treaty, reforms adopted in repeatedly has denied the
(AfD) or France's National led the country to the brink predicts will be the main 2007 after the EU expand- allegations.
Rally led by Marine le Pen. of bankruptcy. theme of European elec- ed from 15 to 27 members, The Hungarian Helsinki
The lawmakers voted 448- "Orban will continue to rep- tions next year, as one that "for the purposes of Article Committee, which offers
197 in favor of a report rec- resent the hard-line policies goes beyond party lines. 7 of the Treaty on European legal aid to asylum seek-
ommending the launch of sliding toward an authori- He met with Italian Interior Union, the European Parlia- ers and refugees and has
a so-called Article 7 proce- tarian regime, as until now," Minister Mateo Salvini last ment shall act by a two- been a frequent target of
dure, which could lead to said Andras Biro-Nagy, co- month in Milan. He referred thirds majority of the votes Orban's criticism, said the
the suspension of Hungary's director of Policy Solutions, to Salvini, the leader of the cast." This would seemingly EU vote "has made it clear
EU voting rights. Needing a a political research institute right-wing League party exclude abstentions from that illiberal democracy is
two-thirds majority to pass, in Budapest. "Should he exit and a staunch opponent the tally. against the core values of
it was approved by 69.4 the EPP, he may believe of migration, as his "hero." Orban's critics and oppo- the European Union."
percent of the lawmakers. that he has an even freer If Orban and his Fidesz party nents were elated by the Even EPP leader Manfred
For years, Orban had been hand to bring increasingly are ousted from the EPP, he outcome. Judith Sargentini, Weber, who earlier was
able to deflect much of the restrictive policies which is likely to look to strengthen who presented the report supportive of Orban and is
international condemna- constrict the democratic his links to the far-right in Eu- prepared by the European seeking to become the Eu-
tion aimed at him. Critics environment." rope. For now, Orban says Parliament's Committee on ropean Commission presi-
say Hungary's electoral sys- Hungarian Foreign Minis- he does not want to leave Civil Liberties, Justice and dent next year, said he had
tem favors the governing ter Peter Szijjarto, echoing the EPP but simply reform it Home Affairs, called it "a voted for triggering Article
parties; media freedoms Orban's longtime position into a party opposing mi- historic result for Hungarian 7.
and judicial independence that allowed him to win a gration. and for European citizens." "I have always been in fa-
are dwindling; corruption third consecutive term in "Orban will invest even "Viktor Orban's govern- vor of building bridges and
and the enrichment of Or- April, called the vote "petty more energies than until ment has been leading the I want to continue to do so,
ban allies with EU and state revenge" against Hungary now to build a 'Plan B' with charge against European but yesterday (Tuesday)
funds are on the rise; asy- for its tough anti-migrant the extreme-right leaders values by silencing inde- I didn't see any readiness
lum-seekers and refugees policies. in Europe, from Salvini to pendent media, replacing from the Hungarian PM
are mistreated; and there "This decision condemn- Le Pen to Germany's AfD," critical judges, and putting to make a move towards
are efforts to limit the ac- ing Hungary and the Hun- said Biro-Nagy. "Orban's academia on a leash," Sar- his EU partners and ad-
tivities of nongovernmental garian people was made true friends are no longer in gentini said. "The Hungar- dress our concerns," Weber
organizations. because we Hungarians the EPP; his true friends are ian people deserve better. tweeted.
While Orban occasionally have demonstrated that in the European extreme- They deserve freedom of While Weber had urged
made minor amendments migration is not a necessary right." speech, non-discrimina- him to show a willingness
to disputed laws and poli- process and that migration Hungary claimed its de- tion, tolerance, justice and to compromise on some is-
cies to appease the EU, can be stopped," Szijjarto feat in the European Par- equality, all of which are sues, Orban said his policies
the essence of his efforts said in Budapest. liament involved "massive enshrined in the European wouldn't change.
to centralize power within On Orban's orders, fences fraud" since 48 abstentions treaties." "I have nothing to compro-
his own ever-expanding of- were built in 2015 on Hun- weren't counted in the final Several NGOs targeted mise about since the ques-
fice has not really changed gary's southern borders tally, which made it easier by the Orban government tions they objected to were
since he returned to gov- with Serbia and Croatia to to reach the needed ma- with restrictive rules — in- decided by the Hungarian
ernment in 2010 with a two- divert the flow of migrants, jority. Szijjarto said Hungary cluding a special tax on people," Orban said Tues-
thirds majority. Hungary and the country has ad- was considering legal op- activities considered as day in Strasbourg, France,
quickly adopted a new opted increasingly restric- tions to appeal the result. promoting immigration and after the debate on Hun-
constitution following eight tive asylum rules. However, according to the criminalization of the gary. "There is nothing to
calamitous years of Social- Orban has framed the mi- Article 354 of the Lisbon aiding of asylum-seekers talk about."q