Fidesz MEP Tamás Deutsch said on Facebook on Wednesday that the MEP delegation of Hungary's ruling Fidesz-Christian Democrats (KDNP) and their party family, the Patriots for Europe, are standing behind Hungarian commissioner candidate Olivér Várhelyi.
Deutsch said Várhelyi has proved his experience, professional knowledge and preparedness in his career so far.
At the same time, "there is no doubt that professional knowledge will mean nothing to the EP's leftist majority," he said. "Even though the hearing is supposed to assess professional knowledge, we can expect the well-known ideological and political attacks."
Deutsch said there had been reports that "the Tisza delegation, the European People's Party and its leader, Manfred Weber ... have made a pact with the other leftist groups to mandate a second hearing for Várhelyi, no matter what."