Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar has called on Ireland to support efforts to bring an end to the long-running EU disciplinary process against Hungary, which was launched over concerns about rule of law and democratic standards under the previous administration.
Hungary has been subject to Article 7 proceedings since September 2018, following concerns raised during the leadership of former prime minister Viktor Orbán. The process, often described as the European Union’s strongest disciplinary mechanism, can ultimately lead to the suspension of a member state’s voting rights within the EU Council, reports RTE.
Since taking office last month, Magyar has sought to reset Hungary’s relationship with European institutions and member states. He has already visited Brussels and held meetings with leaders in countries including Germany and France as part of efforts to rebuild ties strained during Orbán’s years in office.
Last week, the European Union indicated that more than €16 billion in frozen funding could be released to Hungary if the country continues implementing reforms designed to strengthen rule-of-law standards, reports RTE.
Following talks with Taoiseach Micheál Martin in Budapest, Magyar said he hoped Ireland would use its upcoming presidency of the European Union to help bring the Article 7 process to a conclusion.
He said Hungary would rely on Ireland’s assistance during its six-month presidency in seeking to end the proceedings, which have remained active for nearly eight years, reports RTE.
Magyar also revealed plans to meet Roberta Metsola during a European Union summit later this month to discuss how the procedure could be brought to a close as quickly as possible.
According to the Hungarian prime minister, ending the process would require the European Parliament to withdraw the complaint that originally triggered the proceedings, followed by a decision by EU member states to formally conclude the matter, reports RTE.
The Taoiseach welcomed Magyar’s commitment to restoring democratic standards and strengthening the rule of law in Hungary.
Martin said Ireland supports Hungary’s efforts to return to the centre of European decision-making and pledged to work closely with the European Commission to assist Hungary in unlocking the funding that remains frozen.
He praised the reform efforts already undertaken by Magyar’s government and said Ireland would continue supporting the implementation of the necessary domestic changes, reports RTE.
Ireland is due to assume the rotating presidency of the European Union on July 1, taking over from Cyprus for the next six months.
Magyar described it as a privilege to host the Taoiseach and said Hungary appreciates Ireland’s pragmatic and balanced approach to European affairs.
He also welcomed Ireland’s focus on boosting European competitiveness and pledged Hungary’s support for that agenda during the presidency, reports RTE.
The Hungarian leader said negotiations on the future EU budget are likely to be among the most difficult issues facing Ireland during its term, given the competing priorities among member states.
On the issue of EU enlargement, Martin welcomed progress in discussions concerning the rights of ethnic Hungarian minorities living in Ukraine, which has been viewed as a potential breakthrough in efforts to secure Hungary’s support for Ukraine’s EU membership ambitions.
The Taoiseach said opening negotiations was a positive development and expressed hope that Ukraine would now implement the commitments it had made regarding minority rights, reports RTE.
However, Magyar cautioned that opening a negotiating chapter is only the first step in the accession process and stressed that Ukraine must still fulfil a number of obligations before membership discussions can advance further.
During his visit, Martin also toured the Hungarian Parliament Building and met members of the Irish-Hungarian community.
He said Ireland and Hungary share strong historical resilience as well as important cultural and community connections, and expressed his desire to deepen relations with Hungary’s new administration, reports RTE.
Separately, the Taoiseach was questioned about the arrest of Malcolm Byrne in connection with an alleged drink-driving incident.
Martin said he views drink-driving as an extremely serious matter and noted that the Garda investigation remains ongoing, reports RTE.
When asked whether Byrne could face political consequences if charged, the Taoiseach said he would not prejudge the outcome and stressed that all of the facts must first be established.
He also confirmed that he had spoken with the Wicklow-Wexford TD over the weekend, reports RTE.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
