According to the Commissioner for Human Rights, both the draft legislative package submitted to parliament and the government’s parallel proposal, which seeks to integrate the new office into the Fundamental Law, are ‘so ambiguous that the proposed office could be used as a weapon against anyone considered an adversary.
Iliana Ivanova remarked on the unfortunate situation where young people are missing out on opportunities, emphasizing, however, that ‘rules are rules and must be adhered to.’
‘But anyways, a changing of the guard is coming. And that means that Ursula von der Leyen—by the way, nominated, if not created, by former German Chancellor Angela Merkel—, just like Jens Stoltenberg, has to look for a new job. Pony riding is obviously no option for her any more. She is a political animal, a political wolf maybe. Too bad that there are technical and political obstacles.’
The text messages between EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla were never released since they could not be found, according to the official explanation by the EC.
Budapest’s recognized initiatives as part of the programme included the car-free weekend organized with the involvement of the Budapest Transport Centre (BKK), as well as the European Car-Free Day held on weekdays, during which Mayor Gergely Karácsony presented plans for the human-friendly and green renewal of the lower embankment of Pest. The programme also included events aimed at showcasing best practices in pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly developments, jointly organized with the city of Vienna, targeting both the general public and professionals.
The European Parliament is seriously considering legal action against the European Commission regarding the allocation of EU funds to Hungary. Despite Brussels releasing €10.2 billion last December, over €20 billion remain blocked due to ‘rule of law concerns’.
As the enlargement process advances, the imperative to reform the European Union becomes increasingly pressing. Opinions are divided on how this should be achieved; the European Commission may soon unveil its own plans.
Emphasizing the need to resist ‘blackmail’, the resolution, approved by the vast majority of the MEPs, condemns the alleged ‘systematic efforts of the Hungarian government to undermine the EU’s founding values’. The resolution also highlights Hungary’s perceived violations of EU treaties, calling on the European Council to assess whether the country has committed ‘serious and persistent breaches of EU values.’
Debates about Hungary consistently bring to the forefront the Hungarophobic positions and opinions of the Left in the European Parliament. In the current session, left-wing MEPs targeted not only Viktor Orbán but also Ursula von der Leyen.
Leftist MEPs added a last-minute amendment to a resolution up for a vote on the European Parliament floor tomorrow in which they declare their intent to sue the European Commission for approving the release of €10.2 billion of the withheld cohesion funds to Hungary.
Ursula von der Leyen, presenting the report on the expected reforms for the EU accession of Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia, as well as the accession prospects for the Western Balkans and Turkey, announced that the European Commission recommends initiating accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, as soon as they meet final conditions.
While the European Commission initially announced that it was putting its entire Palestinian development portfolio under review, it soon re-evaluated its decision, stating that it remains committed to preventing any misuse of aid funds, but also recognizes the importance of humanitarian aid in providing essential services to those in need.
In a radio interview, Minister István Nagy alleged that the European Commission was serving the interest of ‘US, Saudi, and Dutch companies and investors’ with their controversial decision, and not the small Ukrainian farmer’s as they claim.
As the European Commission’s politicization takes place without real democratic political legitimacy, serious dilemmas arise: what exactly are the interests of the President of the European Commission, and whom does she represent when she gives her annual State of the Union Address?
Timmermans’ name might ring a bell with our readers, as he has frequently criticised the Hungarian government and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
The controversial document highlights the ongoing concerns of the EU Commission regarding the rule of law in Hungary. While the country has introduced legislative reforms and anti-corruption measures, there are persistent challenges in areas such as judicial independence, media pluralism, legal certainty, and civil society rights.
At his recent hearing in the EP, the Budget Commissioner stated that it is not true that the Commission is hindering negotiations with the Hungarian government over the rule of law concerns. The Commission is interested in finding a solution, but it must be a solution that serves the interests of Hungarian citizens, Hahn said.
‘Hungary has submitted the draft contract modifications to the European Commission, and we received the green light from them yesterday,’ Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó announced.
Hungary’s commitments under the new rule of law framework should serve as a model for the whole EU, states State Secretary János Bóka. An interview about the so-called rule of law debate, the growing political pressure of the European Parliament and the Hungarian Child Protection Act.
‘The European Commission is getting more political than its predecessors. In my view, this is unfortunate, given that this body is meant to be independent—the “Guardian of the Treaties”.’
Frequent charges against the Commission are predominantly based on the fact that it lacks democratic legitimacy for making decisions regarding issues of ideology, and it is not held accountable by anyone for its political decisions, which would certainly be unthinkable in democratic circumstances.
Here is the reason why the Commission is being more ‘woke than the wokest’ and why it is taking sides in a divisive debate that tears apart a large swathe of the political class in Europe.
Tamás Deutsch, leading candidate of Fidesz–KDNP in the European Parliament elections, discussed various important topics in his interview with Mandiner, including the recently adopted new migration pact, the composition of the EP after the upcoming elections, and the frozen EU funds due to Hungary.
The strategic agenda, which outlines the political priorities and main strategic objectives for the EU’s new actors over the next five years, is a crucial document that must be developed prior to institutional changes, the European Parliament elections of June 2024, and the appointment of the European Commission.
‘The gains of the conservative and patriotic renaissance are clear. We are making unthinkable progress. We are advancing in Italy, Hungary, France, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the Czech Republic.’
As one of the keynote speakers, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán addressed the issues of migration, freedom of expression, and the war in Ukraine on the second day of the National Conservatism Conference.
Former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and Fabrice Leggeri, former head of the EU border agency Frontex and current lead candidate for the right-wing National Rally (RN) party participated in a public discussion held in the European Parliament on Tuesday. They shared their concerns regarding migration and the newly adopted Migration Pact, agriculture, and green policies.
Among the twenty winners of this year’s New European Bauhaus Prizes the Hungarian project titled Cooperative Ownership of Communities won the New European Bauhaus Rising Stars prize in the ‘Regaining a sense of belonging’ category. The aim of the project is to promote ‘affordable housing and inclusivity through circular renovation and sustainable practices’.
In this year’s first call for applications, the European Union is giving out 35,500 free passes, with an initial quota of 779 passes for young Hungarians aged 18.
The authors examined the resolutions, annual fundamental rights and human rights reports adopted by the European Parliament between 2019 and 2024 to analyse and document the emergence of a ‘new language’ that serves to prioritize specific aspects in the protection of fundamental and human rights.
Hungarian Conservative is a quarterly magazine on contemporary political, philosophical and cultural issues from a conservative perspective.