European Commission, the executive body of the EU, today started a legal procedure that may lead to imposing sanctions against Hungary. According to the Bloomberg Agency, , EU is concerned first of all about the fact that the new Hungarian Constitution strictly restricts independence of the Central Bank ofHungary.Brussels also criticizes the law reducing the age of judges, prosecutors and state notary officers from 70 to 62. If legislation is not changed, the case will be considered at theEuropean Court.Independence of the Central Bank is also a precondition for providingHungary with the EU and IMF credits.
Victor Orban
Hungaryis not the only country having such problems with European Union. More than 10 years ago when the ultra-right came to power in Austria, the country did not enjoy complete confidence of Brussels. Populist steps taken by governments of Polandand Slovakiaalso induced discontent of the EU leadership. The conflict with Hungaryarose in 2010 when after an 8-year break the Fides Party headed by Victor Orban came back to power; Orban is blamed for authoritarian rule and deviation from basic European values in both Hungaryand EU. As reported by the New York Times, , Urban reacted to criticism in the following way: “In 1998-2002 the press wrote that I resembled Hitler and Mussolini. Now they are comparing me to Putin and Belarus President. You can judge yourselves if there is any progress.”
Aram Abrahamyan
