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The European Union doesn’t consider taking away the EU Council presidency from Hungary despite such calls coming from some European politicians.
Věra Jourová, Vice-President for Values and Transparency at the EU Commission said this to Suspilne.
“I am a lawyer, so here is a dry lawyer-like answer. We cannot take away its [Hungary’s] presidency. There are no such options. But we can boycott it and openly demonstrate we don’t agree with Orban’s policy,” Jourová briefly explained.
She also assured that Orban cannot harm the EU from the inside as it won’t make any key decisions while Hungary presides. Meanhwile, the bloc is already preparing for Poland’s presidency.
Previously, 63 members MEPs from the European People’s Party, Renew Europe and the Greens turned to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola to make Hungary lose its EU voting rights. They argue that Viktor Orban has already “abused the role of the Council Presidency” enough to lose it due to his unauthorized trips to China and Russia.
Read also: European Parliament members demand Hungary loses EU voting rights for Orban’s Russia-China ‘peace tour’
