EU Ministers to Boycott Hungary’s Foreign Affairs Summit Amid Growing Tensions

[Social Media]

 

In an unprecedented move, the European Union is poised to boycott Hungary's upcoming foreign affairs summit, reflecting mounting frustration with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's persistent obstruction of EU foreign policy. Instead of attending the summit in Budapest, EU foreign ministers are planning to convene their own meeting elsewhere in August.

 

Hungary, currently holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, plans to host a foreign affairs summit in Budapest on August 28-29. This event is viewed by Orbán as a key opportunity to influence the EU's foreign policy agenda, with his Foreign Affairs Minister Péter Szijjártó taking center stage. However, Orbán's actions, including blocking aid to Ukraine and making uncoordinated visits to Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, have left many EU foreign ministers seeking ways to avoid becoming part of what they see as another propaganda show for Orbán.

 

Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign policy chief, intends to summon the ministers to a "formal" foreign affairs council meeting at the same time as Orbán's summit, according to three EU diplomats familiar with the plan. These diplomats, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, indicated that this strategy is designed to provide ministers with a legitimate reason to skip the Budapest event. "If there’s a formal foreign affairs council, organized by the high representative [Borrell] the same day, the ministers won’t be able to go to Budapest," one diplomat explained. Another diplomat added that the boycott aims to "send a clear signal that Hungary does not speak for the EU."

 

This move follows a recent meeting where Hungary's EU envoy, Bálint Ódor, faced harsh criticism from his counterparts, with Slovakia being the only country not to voice disapproval. By holding an official council meeting simultaneously with the Budapest summit, the EU foreign ministers hope to limit Hungary's ability to use the event for political gain. The intention is to diminish the significance of Hungary's summit and to reinforce that Hungary's current leadership does not represent the collective voice of the Union.

 

Even before the Russia-Ukraine war, tensions between the EU and Hungary had been escalating for years. Under Orbán's leadership, Hungary has been accused of undermining democratic norms and the rule of law, as well as frequently disrupting EU operations by blocking legislation or funding to secure unrelated concessions. The willingness to isolate Hungary was evident when only seven ministers from other countries attended the first meeting of Hungary's presidency in Budapest, which focused on industrial policy, and no EU commissioners were present.

 

Boycotting what is supposed to be a highlight event for Hungary’s EU presidency is seen as an even more significant rebuke intended to undercut Orbán's influence. One diplomat humorously noted that it would be "very unfortunate" if their country couldn’t attend Orbán’s event due to Borrell organizing a counter-meeting.

 

The plan has already been informally discussed with several key EU countries, including France and Germany. Borrell's team is scheduled to formally present the proposal to the EU's 27 permanent representatives on Wednesday. By taking this bold step, the EU aims to reinforce its stance against Hungary's disruptive actions and assert that Hungary’s leadership does not reflect the broader consensus of the Union.

 

Credit: Politico 2024-07-16

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[blazes]

Time for Magyarexit....

[NativeBob]

Queen Ursula and King of Europe Borrel

ridiculous! who are those people?

[candide]

7 minutes ago, blazes said:

Time for Magyarexit....

Considering that Hungary is a major recipient of EU subsidies, and also a major provider of Hungarian immigrants to other EU countries (currently around 400,000), this is not going to happen.

[candide]

Serves him right. One cannot benefit from other EU countries' solidarity on the one hand, and play selfish and provocative games on the other hand...

Edited July 16 by candide

[Chomper Higgot]

24 minutes ago, NativeBob said:

Queen Ursula and King of Europe Borrel

ridiculous! who are those people?

That’s the word, ridiculous.

 

Not a Queen, not a King.

 

Ridiculous.

[JonnyF]

Hungary was always going to cause problems for the EU.

 

But like any failing club, they'll accept anyone as a member. 

[candide]

6 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Hungary was always going to cause problems for the EU.

 

But like any failing club, they'll accept anyone as a member. 

And UK was quite supportive of admitting Eastern European countries, since Thatcher....

[NativeBob]

13 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

But like any failing club, they'll accept anyone as a member. 

But not Turkey. What is wrong with Erdogan?

[JonnyF]

5 minutes ago, NativeBob said:

But not Turkey. What is wrong with Erdogan?

 

Everyone has standards, even Erdogan. 

[NativeBob]

2 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Everyone has standards, even Erdogan. 

You mean Turkey doesn't fit into EU requirements?

[JonnyF]

5 minutes ago, NativeBob said:

You mean Turkey doesn't fit into EU requirements?

 

Turkey doesn't like to be pushed around and hogtied by EU red tape and regulations (protectionism), while paying for the privilige.

 

So it's not really a good fit for the EU. 

[candide]

11 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Turkey doesn't like to be pushed around and hogtied by EU red tape and regulations (protectionism), while paying for the privilige.

 

So it's not really a good fit for the EU. 

B.S.! Turkey has been trying for decades to be admitted

[JonnyF]

2 minutes ago, candide said:

B.S.! Turkey has been trying for decades to be admitted

 

On it's own terms. Not the EU's. Hence it hasn't joined. 

[candide]

1 minute ago, JonnyF said:

 

On it's own terms. Not the EU's. Hence it hasn't joined. 

More fairy tales from you.... It's the EU which freezed the negotiations in 2016.

[JonnyF]

3 minutes ago, candide said:

More fairy tales from you.... It's the EU which freezed the negotiations in 2016.

 

Because Turkey wouldn't budge. 

[candide]

8 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Because Turkey wouldn't budge. 

Because it did not meet EU admission standards, in particular in relation to essential freedoms and human rights.

 

It's Turkey which asked to be admitted (in the 80's, long before Erdogan was elected), not the EU which asked Turkey to apply. It's the EU wich freezed the application process, not Turkey. You are getting it the wrong way.

[RayC]

The EU currently has 27 members and applications to join from 9 others. 

 

Doesn't appear to be much of a "failing" club.

[JonnyF]

16 minutes ago, candide said:

Because it did not meet EU admission standards, in particular in relation to essential freedoms and human rights.

 

If Turkey was so keen to join, it would agree to the EU's demands. It hasn't. 

 

16 minutes ago, candide said:

 

It's Turkey which asked to be admitted (in the 80's, long before Erdogan was elected), not the EU which asked Turkey to apply.

 

The EU was worth joining in the 80's.

 

16 minutes ago, candide said:

 

 

It's the EU wich freezed the application process, not Turkey. You are getting it the wrong way.

 

The EU freezed the application because Turkey wouldn't budge. 

[NativeBob]

14 minutes ago, RayC said:

Doesn't appear to be much of a "failing" club.

By watching Euronews and France24 I wouldn't say they are prospering either.

The best example on how they doing was Brexit: brits pulled many facts on why they should go by their own and NOT by demands from Brussel.

Edited July 16 by NativeBob

[James105]

18 minutes ago, candide said:

Because it did not meet EU admission standards, in particular in relation to essential freedoms and human rights.

 

It's Turkey which asked to be admitted (in the 80's, long before Erdogan was elected), not the EU which asked Turkey to apply. It's the EU wich freezed the application process, not Turkey. You are getting it the wrong way.

 

The EU wasn't the EU then, it was a trading block which is what the UK joined when it asked the people in a referendum in 1975.   Very different to what it became following several treaties which, unfortunately, did not get the consent of the people ultimately leading to the result in 2016.    

[candide]

16 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

If Turkey was so keen to join, it would agree to the EU's demands. It hasn't. 

 

 

The EU was worth joining in the 80's.

 

 

The EU freezed the application because Turkey wouldn't budge. 

Ore fairy tale from you. Erdoğan did not freeze the application. He never claimed that if EU doesn't accept his conditions, he would stop applying.

Turkey claimed it was meeting admission standards, but didn't.

[candide]

20 minutes ago, NativeBob said:

By watching Euronews and France24 I wouldn't say they are prospering either.

The best example on how they doing was Brexit: brits pulled many facts on why they should go by their own and NOT by demands from Brussel.

Well, leaving the EU was not such a success!

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn02784/

[NativeBob]

@James105 I wouldn't put it better - each and every word.

Just to add story of Greece and their bald PM on the bike who demanded to "write off" massive debts for "economical development" kindergarten style.

Edited July 16 by NativeBob

[john donson]

one country that wants to keep it values and not want to be invaded by muslims

[candide]

1 hour ago, James105 said:

 

The EU wasn't the EU then, it was a trading block which is what the UK joined when it asked the people in a referendum in 1975.   Very different to what it became following several treaties which, unfortunately, did not get the consent of the people ultimately leading to the result in 2016.    

It's not about UK, it's about Turkey. Turkey has been consistently trying to join the E.U. since the 80's, including after the Lisbon treaty, and including silnce Erdoğan was elected.

Edited July 16 by candide

[candide]

5 minutes ago, john donson said:

one country that wants to keep it values and not want to be invaded by muslims

One country happy to get EU subsidie! And its young people are happy to work and live in other countries with other values than Orban's values! 😀

Edited July 16 by candide

[NativeBob]

The biggest problem of EU are wide open borders and unelected "Rulers of EU" 

What was an economical Union turned into ___________________

We shall expect Frexit soon

I'll check bets on it

 

Besides, those elitists from Brussel dared to openly criticize and lecture Mr. Orban on his trips this month.
Are they out of their shmucking mind?

[candide]

17 minutes ago, NativeBob said:

The biggest problem of EU are wide open borders and unelected "Rulers of EU" 

What was an economical Union turned into ___________________

We shall expect Frexit soon

I'll check bets on it

 

Besides, those elitists from Brussel dared to openly criticize and lecture Mr. Orban on his trips this month.
Are they out of their shmucking mind?

You should get informed about EU institutions and scope, instead of posting nonsense.

A short one for a start.

https://european-union.europa.eu/institutions-law-budget/law/how-eu-policy-decided_en

[Peterphuket]

6 hours ago, NativeBob said:

Queen Ursula and King of Europe Borrel

ridiculous! who are those people?

Just put down like that by the same fillies who consider themselves superior to the population.
Not even elected yet, something like "if you are nice to me, I will make you head of the eu".
A disgusting club.