At the time of the coronavirus epidemic, instead of European unity and common action, the European Parliament is repeatedly attacking Hungary, the Justice Minister told the Hungarian news agency MTI on Friday. According to Judit Varga, the resolution adopted by the EP on Friday contains false findings in connection with Hungary.

In the context of the resolution of the European Parliament on coordinated action to combat the coronavirus pandemic, she said instead of attacking the state of rule of law in Hungary based on false accusations and repeatedly calling on the European Commission to start proceedings under Article 7, the European Parliament should focus on the containment of the epidemic.

According to Ms. Varga the accusations calling into question the guaranteeing of fundamental rights are unfounded because the Hungarian coronavirus legislation fully meets all criteria regarding rule of law. She added that “there are other European countries which have given their own national parliaments much lesser scope for overseeing the measures adopted by their governments”.

The politician confirmed that in Hungary the coronavirus legislation is in effect until the end of the state of danger, and only empowers the government to adopt emergency decrees which are related to the containment and warding off of the epidemic. “Additionally, Parliament can revoke the authorisation given to the government at any time, and so the EP falsely claims that in Hungary a state of danger has been declared indefinitely,” she observed.

The Justice Minister highlighted that, even at the time of a global pandemic, Brussels has not abandoned the application of double standards in the context of Hungary. “They are condemning us on the basis of false accusations such as that the government is weakening the emergency oversight of Parliament, despite the fact that Parliament continues to remain in session as normal,” she pointed out.

She added that these accusations are levelled by the very EP “whose functioning in the past few days has been very near chaotic”. “Those who keep talking about the unity of the EU all day long did everything again not to create unity even in action against the pandemic,” she said.

Ms. Varga observed that it is sad that at the time of a global pandemic “some political forces have the time to continue their smear campaigns against Hungary”. “Those who cannot help should at least not hinder our action,” Ms. Varga said.

(MTI)