“Guy Verhofstadt is consistently confusing his role”

“There is nothing new under the sun – we already knew that Verhofstadt represents this position,” said Milán Pálfalvi, analyst at Nézőpont Intézet.

Guy Verhofstadt belga európai parlamenti képviselő (Fotó: AFP/Nicolas Maeterlinck) Fotó: AFP/Nicolas Maeterlinck

 – concluded the analyst.

Politicians confusing their roles

“Veteran politicians of the European Parliament and the former Belgian prime minister are also regularly confusing their roles, using political pressure and blackmail over Member States,” said the director of European Union research at the Center for Fundamental Rights (Alapjogokért Központ).

According to Attila Kovács, Verhofstadt’s message is not necessarily for Hungary but rather the European Commission which should be publicizing its position on the status of the conditionality and rule of law procedure as well as the Hungarian recovery plan shortly.

The director of research equates the Belgian politician’s words with a timely parliamentary speech. Attila Kovács believes that the European Parliament has smelled blood and is putting pressure on the Commission through remarkable statements just because Hungarian government policy focuses on Hungarian interests, even if, on this occasion, 26 other countries oppose it.

“The mystification of the right of veto is new in Brussels politics – this right has always existed and Member States have always enjoyed using it,”

– pointed out the research director. He added that one of the foundations of European politics is consensus – though there are efforts to change this – as was one of the conclusions of the conference on the future of Europe.

He also believes it is a complete misrepresentation to connect European Union funds and the funds due to us. The essence of the Commission’s pressure on the EP is that if our country does not fall in line, it will be punished with the withdrawal of funds. The financial interests of the European Union must be defended but the right of veto is also a right enshrined in the basic treaty that the member states can use.

“Combining the two is a dangerous precedent, even at the level of political communication,” 

– highlighted Attila Kovács.

Verhofstadt’s words cannot have any legal consequences, his political message is to break the Hungarian government and put pressure on the Commission, concluded the research director.

Photo: Guy Verhofstadt (Photo: AFP/Nicolas Maeterlinck)