Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban formalized in a letter his threat to veto the EU budget and the European recovery plan, if the project to make funds conditional on respect for the rule of law is maintained, a indicated this Sunday a European source.
Read also: Ten years of power: the metamorphosis of Viktor Orban
The Hungarian media Mandiner.hu reported earlier this Sunday the existence of this letter sent to Germany, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU, to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, as well as to the President of the European Council (body representing the Member States) Charles Michel.
"
Although Hungary is committed to cooperation, in view of the latest developments it cannot provide the unanimity required for the package adopted in July
" on the European budget 2021-2027, as well as the post-recovery plan. -Covid which leans on this budget, indicated the letter of Viktor Orban, according to the Hungarian site.
The European Parliament and Germany, which was negotiating on behalf of the Twenty-seven, agreed on Thursday for the future budget to incorporate an unprecedented mechanism conditioning the allocation of funding to respect for the principles of the rule of law (independent justice, freedom of press...).
"
Opportunities for political abuse
"
This provisional agreement, which has yet to be ratified by states by qualified majority, immediately aroused fury in Poland and Hungary, both in Brussels' crosshairs for reforms accused of undermining the independence of the judiciary.
According to the Mandiner.hu website, Viktor Orban estimated that "
the proposed sanction mechanism is based on vague legal definitions
", which in particular create "
opportunities for political abuse
", and that "
if this remains the case, the government Hungarian has no choice but to reject the other elements of the (budgetary) package
”.
A European source confirmed to AFP that this missive had been received by Charles Michel, Ursula von der Leyen, the German presidency of the EU - but also by Portugal, which will take over from Berlin in January.
Viktor Orban explains there "
that he cannot agree to the compromise on conditionality because it does not correspond to the package concluded in July
", insists this source.
Read also: Ursula von der Leyen calls Orban's Hungary to order
At the end of a marathon summit in July, the Heads of State and Government of the Twenty-Seven agreed on a European budget for 2021-2027 of 1074 billion euros, and on a plan for post-Covid recovery of 750 billion euros backed by this budget.
The details and modalities of this multiannual budgetary framework are now the subject of bitter negotiations between the European Parliament and the States, and any compromise must imperatively be approved by the MEPs as well as by the Twenty-Seven unanimously.
Budapest could therefore block this budget - supposed to come into force in January - by refusing its green light.
“
This crisis was predictable and expected: if Hungary wants to block the recovery plan and the budget, it can.
The German presidency must manage the problem, and we will undoubtedly have to make concessions to Orban,
”said the same European source.