In an inter-party letter obtained by German public broadcaster ARD, MEPs are urging the European Commission to put more pressure on Hungary. "Anyone who does not respect European values at all does not deserve a single euro from European budgets", said MEP Moritz Körner from the German Free Democratic Party, who is one of the fiercest defenders of the rule of law in the European Parliament.
Körner is one of the initiators of the letter from German MEPs from the Christian Democratic Party, the Social Democratic Party, the Liberals and the Greens to the EC, urging Brussels to stop EU funds for Viktor Orbán's government. The aim is to protect the EU's financial interests and therefore the European taxpayers in accordance with applicable law, explains Green MEP Daniel Freund.
Increasing attacks on civil society and the media
In recent years, billions of euros in EU funds owed to Hungary have already been frozen. The reason: rampant corruption in Orbán's country and the lack of an independent judiciary.
"However, we see that in the two and a half years since the sanctions were in place, nothing has improved there," says Freund. "On the contrary, we are now witnessing new and new attacks on independent civil society, free media, freedom of expression and the independence of the judiciary. And that is why we are saying very, very clearly now: this must end."
Tough action against NGOs
With Trump's backing, Viktor Orbán is taking increasingly tough action against minorities and NGOs. In mid-March, for example, his government passed a law that severely restricts freedom of assembly and bans the Pride parade planned for June in defense of the rights of representatives of the LGBTI community.
A few days ago, on May 13, Budapest also intensified its repression against NGOs that it considers a threat to the country's sovereignty. This gives the government the opportunity to blacklist NGOs, impose financial restrictions on them and, if necessary, impose sanctions.