Brussels, 27/02/2013 (Agence Europe) - On a visit to Budapest on Wednesday, President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy once again urged Hungary and his host, Prime Minister Viktor Orban, to continue working with the EU to resolve all of the disputes that have broken out since 2011, from the row over the law on the media, to the country being brought before the Court of Justice for the laws on judges and the data protection authority, and the status of the Hungarian Central Bank, which is making it harder for Budapest to obtain an international loan. “I believe that substantial progress has been made”, said Van Rompuy, quoted in a press release, “and I urge the Hungarian government to continue to work constructively with the Commission”.
Van Rompuy and Orban mainly discussed the economic and social climate, stating that 2012 had been “a turning point” in the eurozone crisis. “Let us hope that the worst is now behind us”, he commented. He warned the member states, however, that they should not relax their efforts, adding that there are no alternatives to the reforms currently being carried out by the countries, and no going back. The member states in question have been called upon to continue to examine the issue of setting single banking supervision in place. (SP/transl.fl)