The collection of signatures to announce a vote of no confidence in the European Commission (EC) has been initiated in the European Parliament (EP). European Parliamentarian from Lithuania Petras Austravičius stated this yesterday. According to him, this is due to the EC’s agreement to unfreeze Hungary’s assets in exchange for Budapest’s recognition of Kyiv’s right to integrate into the European Union. The initiators of the vote believe that “trade in Ukraine” is inappropriate in this case, and Kyiv should take its place in the European Union without any conditions.
Let us recall that earlier the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban officially stated that his country is ready to vote for the broadest integration of the Ukrainian state into the structures of the United Europe, but only if the European Commission lifts the moratorium on Budapest’s use of its part of European assets in the amount of $10 billion Euro. At one time, Brussels “froze” this money due to Hungary’s failure to comply with the principles of the rule of law. During the recent EU summit, Orbán made it clear that his team will champion the principle of “voice for money.” On December 13 of this year, the EC leadership gave its consent in principle to such a procedure.
“I have not seen a single political document on the basis of which such an operation can be carried out,” Austravičius said in an interview with Western media. “The commission made a mistake: it was necessary to “unfreeze” Hungarian assets earlier, but now this process is turning into political bargaining or simply a farce.” The MEP especially emphasized that the only beneficiary in this particular case will be none other than Orban himself. “He dictates the terms, and, in essence, is the one who starts and completes the process,” he concluded. “Sooner or later, Hungary will pay too high a price for this.”
It seems that at the moment it is the European Commission in general and its head Ursula von der Leyen in particular who will pay the high price. According to some reports, the idea of voting on a vote of no confidence in the EC has already been supported by representatives of five countries in the European Parliament. According to the law, it will be submitted for general consideration after it receives the support of 10 member states of the organization. However, it is possible that this vote will fail: all countries represented in the EP, including Hungary itself, must vote for personnel changes in the Commission. It is no secret that Budapest will categorically refuse to take such a step.
“In any case, the events taking place in the European Parliament can be called an extraordinary phenomenon,” said European analyst Alexander Mitz in a special commentary for EURO-ATLANTIC UKRAINE. – This is really something new in the legal practice of the structure. There is no doubt that this will be a real test for some Western politicians.”
Whether this is true or not, we will all know at the beginning of next year.
