Strasbourg, 14/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - Hungary is a source of trouble at the European Parliament. The political groups are still discussing a joint resolution on the events in Hungary, which is to be voted on in the Thursday plenary session. Neither the EPP nor the Hungarian Socialists are expected to support the text. The president of the S&D group said that “this will only be a resolution from the S&D, Greens, ALDE and GUE/NGL groups but a majority is needed. If this resolution is rejected, it would be a major victory for Orban and this is what we are trying to avoid”. According to the vice-president of the Greens/EFA, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, “there is a blockage on the resolution text. The EPP is holding the Socialist party to ransom”, something the S&D has not claimed. One European source explained to Agence Europe that the groups still did not have a common position and the S&D did not automatically want to resort to Article 7 (which requires serious violation of the treaties), unlike the other parties on the Left. This same source said: “I do not know whether we will reach a common position”. Mr Cohn-Bendit said: “We are saying that if the situation continues, the European Parliament will have to consider an initiative under Article 7 (1) of the Treaty”. He considers that it is important to include in the resolution that “we are continuing to request the Hungarian government to apply what was said by Venice, the Council of Europe. (…) For the moment, no progress has been made. If the resolution provides Hungary with a blank cheque, we will not vote in favour of this resolution”.
EPP wants to wait for Commission position. The president of the EPP, Joseph Daul, considers that the resolution should be presented at the March plenary, as initially planned. He pointed out that the Greens and the Left had asked for it to be voted on in March, then in February. In reply to a question from a journalist, he explained that “the European Commission is bringing the Hungarian government into line and Mr Cohn-Bendit is frightened that the government will have already agreed to too much before March. It is this that has upset him”. He emphasised the fact that he intended to ask the Commission on what points Hungary was not respecting the rules. He warned that, in the event of an infringement being committed, they would be “intransigent”. Daul made clear that he could “sign everything in March” but that he is waiting for the Hungarian government's reaction to the Commission suggestions. The president of the EPP concluded: “I will say what I think in March. The European Commission will give its opinion tomorrow or the day after and say what it is thinking or is currently undertaking. I will wait”. (CG/transl.fl)