MEPs from Viktor Orbán's Hungarian Fidesz party have not appreciated the move by the President of the European Parliament Civil Liberties Committee, Juan Fernando López Aguilar (S&D, Spain), asking the European Commission to assess Hungary's 'state of emergency' law (EUROPE 12453/27). On Wednesday, the Commission said that it would evaluate the Hungarian law.
Having learned of the initiative, they wrote to the President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, to complain about the treatment of their country, considering it “scandalous that in the midst of a deadly Coronavirus pandemic that threatens the lives of millions of people, the European Commission, instead of investing its time and intellectual capacity in finding ways to prevent and protect citizens, is engaging in a nasty party political fight based on lies”, said MEP Tamás Deutsch (EPP).
“The Hungarian government's proposal to extend the state of emergency is respectful of the Rule of law and its aim is to save lives”. In particular, it ensures “the unimpeded functioning of the Constitutional Court”.
For these elected representatives, the European Commission should then analyse the conformity of the emergency measures taken in all Member States, said the MEP, quoting in particular the decision of the “Swedish parliament to temporarily reduce the number of MEPs from 349 to 55” or the recent declaration by President Macron stating “we are at war”.
Link to the mail: https://bit.ly/2xkstuW (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)