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EC reports on rule-of-law in Hungary and Poland apply double standards

The justice minister said Hungary has not received a legal reply to the concerns it has expressed over the use of double standards regarding the rule-of-law reports.

Justice Minister Judit Varga said the European Commission’s reports on the rule of law in Hungary and Poland apply double standards.

Following a meeting of the bloc’s General Affairs Council in Luxembourg on Tuesday, the minister said European affairs ministers held “country-specific talks” as part of their rule-of-law dialogue, reviewing the enforcement of the rule of law in several member states, including Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Luxembourg and Malta. Hungary has not received a legal reply to the concerns it has expressed over the use of double standards regarding the rule-of-law reports, Minister Varga said, adding that this had reinforced Hungary’s concerns that the EC’s rule-of-law report deepened divisions among member states. On April 3, 54 percent of Hungary’s electorate said it did not share the EC’s concerns over Hungary, the minister said. “Hungarian voters want to keep going in the direction Hungary is headed in; they want Hungary to preserve its national sovereignty, its national identity and self-determination as authorised by the EU treaties,” Minister Varga said.

Photo credit: Facebook/Varga Judit