Tuomioja anticipates furore in EU over events in Hungary

“With new constitution Hungary would not have been admitted to EU”

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Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja (Social Democratic Party) says that current developments in Hungary are a cause for rising concern in the European Union.
      The country’s ruling right-wing Fidesz party recently won passage of a new constitution, which took effect at the beginning of the year, and which critics fear erodes the foundations of democracy.
      For instance, Fidesz is taking away power from the judiciary, whose independence is generally seen as a basic principle of democracy.
     
Tuomioja says that the new constitution alters the balance of power in Hungarian society to an alarming degree.
      The power of politicians is growing in the Hungarian central bank, the new head prosecutor is getting sweeping powers, and a three-member budget committee is being given a veto over budget decisions of future governments, Tuomioja points out.
      “If a country with a constitution like this were to apply for membership in the EU, it could not be accepted”, the Finnish Foreign Minister says.
     
Tuomioja says that it is the task of the European Commission to react if democracy is in jeopardy in a member state. The Commission has not yet done so, although individual commissioners have expressed concern.
      French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé this week urged the Commission to see to it that democracy is implemented in Hungary. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed her concerns to Hungary in late December.
     
It is not quite clear how the Commission might react to the situation in Hungary. Tuomioja notes that there are no clear precedents on the matter.
      Tuomioja says that the first reaction should be “political”: Hungary should be notified that it is not on the right road. Possible sanctions would come later.
      “At the end of the line there is the question that if a member state violates the central principles of democracy, can membership be maintained any longer?”
     
A less severe measure might be to freeze EU financial support.
      Hungary, which is experiencing economic troubles, held talks with the EU and the International Monetary Fund on support loans. The negotiations were cut off because of Hungary’s new central bank legislation.
     


Links:
  President of Finnish Supreme Court prompted European Justice Commissioner to request clarifications from Hungary over planned judicial reforms (15.12.2011)

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