The EU executive branch in Brussels is partially boycotting HungaryAt the request of the Hungarian Prime Minister, the country completed its six-month term as the EU’s rotating presidency. Viktor Orbán’s self-proclaimed “Mission for Peace” He began the job after assuming the position earlier this month.
On the first day of Hungary’s presidency, Orban visits Kiev, Moscow, BeijingNATO summit held in Washington, Donald Trump in Florida.
Trip to Kyiv OrbanThis is the first time since the Russian invasion that Hungary has done so, even though it shares a border with Ukraine.
Trump called his visit an envoy of peace, held constructive talks in Moscow and sought to portray himself as one of the “very few” EU and NATO leaders who can negotiate with all parties involved.
Harsh criticism followed from other EU member states and Hungary’s NATO allies.
No Commissioner Attends Hungarian Council Meeting
of European Commission The European Commission announced on Monday that it would implement a partial boycott of Hungary’s presidency of the European Council for the next six months.
The EU’s executive body said it would send only senior officials to the informal meeting, but not the EU’s 27 commissioners – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and her subordinates.
“In light of recent events marking the inauguration of the Hungarian Presidency, [Ursula von der Leyen] “The Commission has decided to be represented at senior civil servant level only at informal meetings of the Council,” von der Leyen’s spokesman, Eric Mammer, said.
“There will be no visits to the presidential palace by the college,” Mamar added, referring to a biannual meeting that normally brings all or most of the 27-member committee, whose roles rotate, together in the capital.
The visit typically takes place early in a six-month period, with the hope that the talks will lead to further planning and action.
Several member states close to Russia have already taken this step.
The EU’s decision on Monday follows those of a series of EU member states, many of which are located close to Russia’s border.
In protest against Orban’s meeting with Putin in Moscow last week, the Swedish government announced that Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland would not send ministers to government meetings linked to Hungary’s EU presidency in July.
Sweden’s EU minister Jessica Roswall said at the time that member states would be represented only by civil servants and that other EU countries were considering similar measures.
Hungary says EU cannot “cherry-pick”
Hungary reacted critically to Monday’s announcement, arguing that the EU was effectively playing favourites when the idea of the rotating presidency is for all member states to have the lead for a period of time.
“The EU is an international organisation made up of member states. The European Commission is an EU institution,” Hungary’s European Affairs Minister Janos Boka wrote on social media.
“The Commission cannot pick and choose which institutions and member states it wants to cooperate with. Are all the Commission’s decisions now based on political considerations?” he said.
What is the “Presidency of the European Council” and does it matter?
Supported by three political systems EU.
The European Commission is an executive body, drafting most laws and holding most of the technocratic powers, and its 27 commissioners are, at least in theory and to the extent possible, appointed in part on the basis of the results of European Parliamentary elections.
The European Parliament, made up of members elected by all member states, must approve all Commission proposals by majority vote and can also recommend measures to the Commission for consideration.
But almost everything the EU does requires final approval from the European Council.
Counterintuitively, this organisation does not actually include any “EU” officials, but is instead made up of the 27 governments elected by each member state.
Nearly all EU policies must be approved by the Council before they can be implemented – either by unanimity on the most sensitive issues or through a complex qualified majority process.
There is a President of the European Council (currently Charles Michel) whose job is to coordinate these talks and help reach agreement, as well as liaise and negotiate with the other EU institutions.
However, the leadership of the Council is rotated between European governments for six-month periods known as the Presidency.
The holder of the presidency does not have expanded voting rights or the power to act without restrictions, meaning he or she faces all of the same hurdles in implementing policy as the president.
However, the committee can shape the agenda to some extent during its term and decide what issues are considered (or ignored).
Orban’s tenure in Hungary has been uncertain for some time, given how he has handled Russia’s invasion of Ukraine since 2022.
msh/lo (AP, DPA, Reuters)
