MEPs debate about the deliberate and systematic efforts of the Hungarian Government to undermine the founding values of the EU enshrined in Article 2 TEU, after the state of rule of law and fundamental rights have worsened in the country. They discuss as well about the situation of the "frozen" recovery funds and how the future Hungarian Presidency would affect the Council's work on EU legislation, the continuity of the EU agenda, and the Council’s relations with the other EU institutions. Extracts from the debate. The transcription is the result of an automatic process, please check against delivery.

debate

plenary session

IN 'T VELD, Sophia (Renew, NL)

EU mechanism on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights (T)

EU - Hungary (T)

HAHN, Johannes (AT, EC)

SARVAMAA, Petri (EPP, FI)

REYNDERS, Didier (BE, EC)

DELBOS-CORFIELD, Gwendoline (Greens/EFA, FR)

REUTEN, Thijs (S&D, NL)

KULLGREN, Peter

Breaches of the Rule of Law and fundamental rights in Hungary and frozen EU funds: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Peter KULLGREN, Swedish minister for Infrastructure and Housing, See the respect for the principle of the rule of law, Democracy and civil liberties are fundamental values in Europe that we must defend. We have the tools necessary and the processes in place to ensure that our fundamental values are maintained, and it is important that we use them in a constructive spirit, in a dialogue with the Member State concerned when it comes to the procedure.

SOUNDBITE (English), Peter KULLGREN, Swedish minister for Infrastructure and Housing, On the 15th of December 2022, in the framework of the Common Conditionality Regulation, the Council adopted for the first time an implementing decision on the measures to be taken to protect the EU's budget against the the abuse of the principle on the rule of law in Hungary.

SOUNDBITE (English), Johannes HAHN, European Commissioner for Budget and Administration, To unlock reimbursements for the funds covered by the common provisions regulations, notably cohesion funding management by Hungary, Hungary must fulfil the horizontal enabling conditions requiring effective mechanisms to ensure compliance with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU in the implementation of the programs.

SOUNDBITE (English), Didier REYNDERS, European Commissioner for Justice, The Commission's assessment of the rule of law situation in Hungary is clearly set out in our annual rule of law reports. This year, year's report will be adopted in July. You can be certain that the Commission remains fully committed to ensuring respect for the rule of law in Hungary as the unprecedented budgetary measures taken clearly, clearly show.

SOUNDBITE (English), Petri SARVAMAA (EPP, FI), It is important to note that the primary purpose of the conditionality, regulation and this resolution is not to bully any member state. The existing conditionality regulation serves actually as the best preventive measure in place.

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Thijs REUTEN (S&amp;D, NL), You have a prime Minister, flirting with Putin, and there with doted on that. Most of all, I've talked to students in Hungary who are fighting for their rights, but they're becoming ever more powerless. Yeah, the media are completely under Orban's hope. So we're the last hope. We in the European Union. So let's not fall into Orban's once again. Take real steps under the Article seven procedure at last. Do everything within your power to offer Hungary a free, democratic future.

SOUNDBITE (English), Sophia IN &apos;T VELD (Renew, NL), With regard to the Presidency. The Member States themselves decide on the Council presidency, obviously, but as usual they haven't dared to take any steps because the European Council is the place where the rule of law goes to die. But this House decides if and how to cooperate with the Council presidency, and I suggest that we strip the presidency to the bone. No glitter and glamour. We shall not provide Orban with a podium for his propaganda.

SOUNDBITE (English), Gwendoline DELBOS-CORFIELD (Greens/EFA, FR), This is the world the Hungarian government wants us all to live in a parallel world inspired by Vladimir Putin, where minority rights are not protected, where rainbow families are unlawful. Where the Russian war in Ukraine is not recognised. Where European values and the definition of democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights are denied. And where disinformation about what the European Union does is on billboards and in official speeches nearly every day. Should we let the Hungarian government set the agenda of the EU for six months when they themselves say they do not respect what we are and what we stand for?