A meeting of EU foreign ministers will take place at the end of August in Brussels and not in Budapest, the head of European diplomacy Josep Borell announced on Monday, in retaliation for Viktor Orban’s visit to Vladimir Putin.
The Hungarian Prime Minister aroused anger and incomprehension within the European Union by visiting the Russian president in early July, a move presented as “a peace initiative” which had not been discussed with other EU leaders .
Since July 1, Hungary has held the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU for six months, a function of coordinating legislative work.
A symbolic measure, assures Brussels
“We must send a signal, even if it is symbolic, to mean that positioning ourselves against the foreign policy of the European Union (…) has consequences,” explained Josep Borrell from Brussels.
“It’s a symbolic measure,” he insisted. “I refuse the word boycott, the informal meeting will take place with the participation of all member states,” he continued.
I have decided to convene informal meetings of EU Foreign Affairs and Defense Ministers in Brussels, after the summer break.
At today’s #FAC, EU Member States overwhelmingly criticized Hungary’s lack of sincere and loyal cooperation.
“It’s like being in kindergarten,” replies Budapest
“What a fantastic response they have come up with,” quipped Hungarian foreign minister Peter Szijjarto on Facebook. “I don’t want to hurt anyone, but it feels like kindergarten.”
To protest against Viktor Orban’s initiatives, the European Commission announced that its commissioners would not participate in the multiple meetings planned in Hungary until the end of the year. The institution will be represented “only at senior civil servant level”.
In a resolution approved by a very large majority, Parliament also condemned Viktor Orban’s visit to Moscow, judging that it constituted a “flagrant violation of the treaties and the common foreign policy of the EU”.
The Hungarian prime minister regularly criticizes sanctions against Russia and military aid to kyiv and has consistently sought to curb EU efforts in these areas.
This article is originally published on .rts.ch
