According to Minister of State for EU Affairs Szabolcs Takács from the Prime Minister’s Office, Brussels wants to punish countries that reject immigration and is using legal procedures to apply political pressure.

During a meeting of European Union ministers responsible for general EU affairs in Luxembourg on Tuesday, an official hearing of the Polish Government was conducted as part of the unprecedented rule of law proceedings being held according to Article 7 of the European Basic Treaties.

Following the meeting, First Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans declared: a danger of the systematic and gross violation of EU values still exists in Poland and further steps would be required with relation to the worrying issue, but the Polish delegation did not show any signs of doing so.

In reacting to the statement, Mr. Takács expressed his objection to the procedure being conducted against Poland, which he called a witch-hunt.

In a statement to Hungarian news agency MTI, he stressed that the Commission “is dragging the Polish Government before the council of EU governments while once again overstepping its spheres of competence and ignoring the values of anti-discrimination, equality before the law and the right to a fair procedure”. As he explained, Hungary has objected to the Article 7 proceedings from the very beginning in view of the fact that they are “biased, politically motivated, unfounded and unfair”.

“Poland can count on Hungary; we will not be abetting any kind of mendacious political attack”, said Mr. Takács, according to whom the proceedings against Warsaw are creating a dangerous precedent.

((MTI / kormany.hu))