EP: Hungary is no longer a full democracy, but an 'autocracy'

Hungary is no longer a fully functioning democracy, members of the European Parliament said in a recently released report on Thursday.

Instead, the country should be considered a "hybrid regime of electoral autocracy" in which elections are held regularly but without respecting basic democratic norms.

"There is a growing consensus among experts that Hungary is no longer a democracy," the lawmakers said, citing a series of international indexes that have downgraded Hungary's status in recent years.

In their resolution, MEPs point the finger directly at Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has been in power since 2010, and condemn his government's "deliberate and systematic efforts" to undermine the EU's core values.

Lawmakers raise concerns about a long list of fundamental rights they believe are under threat, including the electoral system, judicial independence, privacy, freedom of expression, media pluralism, academic freedom, and the protection of minorities and asylum seekers.

MEPs also criticized EU institutions for allowing democratic backsliding to go unchecked.

The parliament "deeply regrets that the lack of decisive EU action has contributed to a breakdown of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights in Hungary, turning the country into a hybrid regime of electoral autocracy," the report said. intermediate.

It is believed to be the first time an EU institution has declared that a member state is not a proper democracy, an essential prerequisite for joining the bloc.

Each year, Hungary receives over €6 billion in EU funds, most of which support cohesion projects.

In addition, Hungary remains the only member state without an approved COVID-19 recovery plan. The commission has requested reforms in exchange for the green lighting plan, worth 7.2 billion euros in grants.

As the energy crisis worsens and inflation rises, Budapest is beginning to make moves towards Brussels in a bid to free up cash. Prime Minister Orbán signed a decree earlier this month creating an anti-corruption agency, along with a special task force of government and non-government delegates.

The Parliament's report asks the Commission to refrain from approving the recovery plan until all rule of law reforms are in place and to prevent funding for cohesion projects that could lead to legal breaches.

Source: Euronews