Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne, expressed increasing frustration over Hungary’s recent actions that appear to undermine fundamental rights and the rule of law. “As a net contributing EU member state, it’s challenging for us to witness these developments,” he stated, underscoring Ireland’s commitment to upholding EU values.
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Today, Ireland joined 20 other EU member states in a collaborative statement accusing Hungary of violating core EU principles through legislation targeting LGBTQ+ individuals. This comes amid ongoing discussions among EU ministers about the potential for stripping Hungary of its voting rights due to Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s persistent obstructions of essential EU policies, particularly regarding fundamental rights and support for Ukraine.
Hungary’s government has expressed intentions to block the commencement of Ukraine’s accession process. “It’s a problem for those of us who contribute to the EU budget, which is why we introduced the conditionality regulation tying EU funds to compliance with fundamental rules,” Byrne noted.
Despite these concerns, it appears that a majority of member states are not yet prepared to initiate the Article 7 process, which could ultimately lead to a withdrawal of Hungary’s voting rights. “The question remains whether there are enough member states ready to take such action,” Byrne commented. “However, frustrations are growing regarding not just Ukraine’s accession, but even the start of its application process.”
Growing dissent towards Orban’s policies has coalesced around the recent decision to effectively ban a pride parade in Budapest. In March, Hungary’s parliament enacted legislation that permits police use of facial recognition technology to identify pride march attendees. Additionally, constitutional amendments passed in April establish that Hungary recognizes only two genders: male and female.
“We are deeply alarmed by these developments that conflict with the fundamental values of human dignity, freedom, equality, and respect for human rights,” stated the joint statement from the governments of 17 member states. They called on Hungary to revisit these measures and urged the European Commission to take necessary actions should Budapest fail to comply.
As EU Affairs Ministers convened in Brussels, a joint statement was issued by Ireland alongside Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden regarding the infringement of LGBTQ+ rights in Hungary.
The European Commission holds the authority to initiate legal proceedings against member states believed to violate EU laws. Hungary’s Minister for European Union Affairs, Janos Boka, countered the criticisms, stating, “There is no Pride ban in Hungary.” He expressed hope that colleagues would garner a “more nuanced view” of Hungarian legislation following their discussions.
Nevertheless, activists argue that the measures effectively represent a ban on pride events. Prime Minister Orban remarked that pride organizers “should not even bother” this year, while his chief of staff indicated that Hungary would not tolerate pride marches in downtown Budapest. Orban’s ruling Fidesz party has also stated that pride marches could be considered harmful to children, arguing that child protection should take precedence over the right to assemble.
Michael McGrath, Ireland’s European Commissioner responsible for democracy, justice, and the rule of law, emphasized, “Freedom of assembly is a fundamental right. It does not pose a threat to children or anyone else, and it must be safeguarded at all times.” He assured that the Commission is exploring all available options regarding this issue.
Concerns are also rising at the EU level regarding Hungary’s potential veto of the extension of EU sanctions against Russia by late July. Sources suggest that member states and the European Commission are investigating legal methods to maneuver around the Hungarian veto, which could disrupt critical financial, energy, and political measures against Moscow over its actions in Ukraine. However, Byrne noted that Hungary has previously consented to EU sanctions at the last moment. “I prefer not to consider legal workarounds at this stage, as we’ve seen sanctions reaching consensus in the past despite threats of veto,” he remarked. “We should continue discussions based on unanimity, which has proven effective.”
Additional reporting by Reuters.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International – Monitoring.
