The situation of the rule of law and respect for European values in Hungary was debated by European Affairs Ministers on Tuesday 19 February, the same day that a billboard campaign launched in the country targeting Jean-Claude Juncker and his supposed pro-immigration policy caused controversy (see other news). Twelve Member States took the floor during this review.
The first Vice-President, Frans Timmermans, had first taken care to review the various infringement proceedings against Hungary, in particular those concerning the Central European University. The European official also mentioned this campaign against President Juncker, which he considers, like some delegations, including Germany, to be pure "disinformation", he said at a press conference.
Belgium, with its Minister Didier Reynders, also commented on this campaign, according to one source.
In any case, several countries have raised the question of how to follow up this Article 7 procedure against Hungary, launched by the European Parliament last September. They raised the possibility of holding a hearing in Budapest in the near future, and not necessarily at the next Council, or of bringing in external experts, possibly from the Council of Europe and its Venice Commission. But bringing in experts from outside the Council raises questions of legal feasibility and, according to one source, Hungary did not hesitate to point this out on Tuesday. Other sources also point to the risk that this hearing, during the election campaign for Europeans, may be misused.
The Hungarian government, for its part, on Tuesday asked ministers to wait first for the judgment of the Court of Justice on the Parliament vote last September that triggered the Article 7 procedure and vigorously contested the procedure, which it considers unfounded, asking a little ironically, according to one source, for fair treatment. This was the same day that several European officials criticised Budapest for disseminating false information about the Commission's migration policies. The next General Affairs Council will take place on 19 March and its agenda will be clarified in the coming days. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)