Brussels to Cut Farmers’ Support by 20 Percent

During last night’s plenary debate on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the delegation of the Fidesz and the Christian Democrats (KDNP) made it clear that the recent statements made by the European Commission and the leaders of the four EP groups, representing the EP's grand coalition, amount to nothing more than empty political theater, disguising the gravity of the real problems. The shared political intent of the European Commission and the EP majority supporting Brussels's empire-building ambitions runs counter to the rules laid down in the Treaties. Under Brussels’ new multiannual budget proposal, European farmers would continue to receive 20 percent less funding from 2028 onward. This was achieved by the EP's grand coalition, which includes the Brussels-aligned Tisza Party and the Democratic Coalition (DK).

The European Parliament chamber (Source: AFP)

Brussels’ proposal would make the use of the "rule of law" procedures—effectively instruments of political blackmail—completely unrestricted. In the future, Brussels could allocate EU funds entirely according to its own political preferences, without limitation. As the Fidesz–KDNP EP group stated in its press release, this new system would extend political blackmail even to agricultural funds, allowing Brussels to freeze them at will. The European Commission’s proposal calls for a drastic 20-percent cut in Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) resources and plans to merge those funds into a joint EU financial instrument shared with cohesion policy. Brussels' proposal aims to direct 20 percent of EU budget funds to Ukraine, while another 20 percent of the funds are intended to be used for interest and principal repayments on the previous joint EU loan, the statement says.

Brussels' proposal would brutally reduce Common Agricultural Policy funding by 20 percent (Photo: ANADOLU/Dursun Aydemir)

The shared political intent of the European Commission and the Brussels-aligned majority in the European Parliament is to eliminate member-state sovereignty and the role of the European Council, which represents national interests, in the design of both the multiannual and annual EU budgets.

Such a move would mean a radical change in the clear rules of the EU Treaties and amounts to the forced transformation of the European Union into a "United States of Europe," curtailing member states' powers and establishing full imperial powers for Brussels. 

The Commission must immediately withdraw its proposal, which is unacceptable even as a basis for negotiations, and submit a new draft that respects the Treaties, the powers of the member states, competitiveness, and the interests of farmers and regions,

said MEP Eniko Gyori, as quoted in the statement. "The Tisza Party and the Democratic Coalition are marching in lockstep with the European Commission and the European Parliament’s grand coalition, which have betrayed Europe’s farmers. Hungarian farmers can rely only on the government of Hungary." Eniko Gyori added.

Cover photo: The European Parliament chamber (Source: AFP)