Viktor Orban arrives for an EU summit in Brussels on June 28, 2013
Today, the European Union Parliament approved a report charging that Viktor Orban's government has "seriously violated and restricted Hungary's independence and the freedom of its parliament. The approval vote was 370, with 249 against and 87 abstentions.
See UPDATE at end of article*
Orban, who had come to Brussels to present his government's case to the EU Parliament and executives several days before the vote, had said prior to the vote that he had "no illusions about the outcome as the Greens, the Liberals and the Socialists would vote against Hungary."
During Tuesday's debate, Orban said Hungary doesn't want to come under the European Union's "political guardianship" which it would find condescending. He compared his country's potential treatment by the EU to that of a child in foster care. The vote approving the report will now bring about a close monitoring process over Hungary's constitution.
Those approving the report insist they are not against the Hungarian people, but against Mr. Orban's government. They say that even with a parliamentary majority, it doesn't mean a governement can 'act in an omnipotent way." Yet it appears the EU majority can act in an omnipotent way. It is the people of a nation who elect the parliament members which determines the government, and it is the EU that is interfering with this process. So just whom is the undemocratic agent here?
The EU heavy-handed rulers are dictating to member states what kind of "democracies" they may install, based on what kind of constitutions they may have. Is it not the EU that is imposing dictatorship?
The example of Austria
This is the same thing that happened to Austria in 2000 when Jörg Haider's right-wing Freedom Party became part of the government. The EU imposed sanctions and suspended contact with Austria to express its displeasure with any government that veers to the right. The sanctions were economically painful enough to Austrians that Haider (right), whose crime was to have once said something positive about Adolf Hitler's regime, was compelled to quit as party leader, after which the sanctions were lifted.
Is this not a clear-cut interference in the political will of a supposedly independent sovereign member-nation of the EU? What it tells us is that a member-nation of the EU is not sovereign.
Orban accused of being "unorthodox"
His unorthodox policies to cut debt and revive the economy, such as effectively nationalizing private pension funds, have drawn fire, along with his appointments to the central bank. His critics complain he has appointed political allies to make policy at the "independent" central bank. Well, I guess he could have appointed his political enemies - would that have been satisfactory?
But the biggest complaint has been about his changes to the constitution, made possible because his party, Fidesz, won a two thirds "supermajority" - what is called a genuine "mandate" in the U.S. He had the support of the voters to carry out his campaign promises and platform.
Orban denies the constitutional amendments are anti-democratic but he made a few concessions to mollify Brussels' concerns.
However, with the EU being controlled from Brussels by left-wing servants of Jewish banking interests, and the cultural power Jews wield via media and entertainment, the powers-that-be are in no mood for compromise. The only politics allowed in Europe today is liberal, culture-destroying politics.
What freedoms and human rights does the West consider most worthy of protection?
This story appeared today on a Hungarian news site:
Nineteen embassies in Hungary published a joint statement on Tuesday to express support for Budapest’s LGBT communities on the occasion of this year’s Budapest Pride.
The 18th Budapest Pride festival starts in Budapest’s Toldi Cinema on Sunday and the programme includes a procession through the city on Saturday. ["Budapest Pride" is a week-long cultural and film festival celebrating homosexuality. - cy]
The joint statement issued by the embassies of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States has been sent to MTI by the British Embassy.
The statement shows that the embassies support “the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities in Hungary and their right to express themselves peacefully and lawfully.”
“We welcome the Hungarian government’s commitment to supporting these rights and their support in June 2011 of the United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity,” the statement said.
“We look forward to the Pride celebrations, to the respect for them which the Hungarian people will show and to the determination of the Hungarian authorities not to allow those of extreme views to disrupt what should and will be joyful occasions,” it added.
Last year, opponents of the march could not disturb the event but several people were detained after a scuffle near parliament. Embassies in Budapest expressed their support for Budapest Pride in recent years, as well.
The "freedom to express themselves" of people like this is protected, but the integrity of the voter's decisions is not!
Homosexuals march in "Budapest Pride" parade in 2012 to show "pride" in their unnatural and socially harmful sexual identity.
Limits to EU power and choices
This vote only approves of the report. From here, the Brussels dictators have to decide what actions to take, and whether their actions would do more harm than good. The EU has two tools to force a member state to play by its rules.
1. Suspending their voting rights in the 27-nation block.
2. Taking action through the courts.
The first is powerful but would probably anger Orban's fellow conservatives in the EU and perhaps create an equally powerful reaction. The second would be slow and offers no certain conclusion.
* * *
*UPDATE* EU places sanctions on Hungary
The European Commission said on Wednesday that it plans to suspend 495 million euros in Cohesion Funds from Hungary as the country has failed to reduce its deficit. It is the first time Brussels decides to withhold development funds, which are destined to support infrastructure projects in the EU's poorer regions.
EC's vice-president Olli Rehn said that the sanctions come as an incentive for Hungary to amend the situation. But many suspect it could also be a punishment linked to the state of democracy in the country. Only last month, Brussels launched legal action against the Hungarian government over concerns of an anti-democratic constitution.
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban asked the EU and the IMF for a rescue loan late last year. But the talks were put on hold with none of the institutions committing to anything. As the country's situation worsens, these new sanctions can have a real impact on its economy.
Stay tuned for follow-up news as it appears.
- 791 views
