The EU’s capitulation to the Hungarian PM’s blackmail is a grave mistake. He seeks to reshape the bloc in his image
The decision by European leaders to open formal EU membership negotiations with Ukraine is historic – it offers hope to a people who are courageously fighting Russian aggression and sacrificing their lives for a European future. The agreement marks a historic new chapter for the EU. But legally, it required the unanimity of all 27 leaders, and it only became possible because Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán – who had threatened to block the opening of talks with Ukraine – left the room, in effect abstaining rather than wielding his veto.
The fact that 26 EU leaders, including Orbán’s supposed allies, signed up despite his opposition underscores the importance of this historic step. Yet it is tainted by the questionable means through which the agreement was achieved.
In a highly dubious deal that emerged in the run-up to the summit, the European Commission had unblocked €10.2bn, a third of an overall sum for Hungary frozen as punishment for Orbán’s dismantling of the rule of law. The Hungarian government made token reforms to restore judicial independence, but they fall far short of what is needed.
Pretty sure this could be solved in a similar way to handling versions of a duplicate computer file, name the old EU file as EUv1, copy contents of v1 to a new EU file, make amendments to EUv2 using ctrl+f to delete mentions of Hungary (or preferably ctrl+r to change Hungary to UK, maybe rename the EUv2 file to SovereingtyUnionV1 to appease the leave voters), then everyone just leaves EUv1.
The rules mean they can’t force Hungary out, but Hungary can’t stop everyone else leaving and forming a better club.
Sure it does - it’s exactly what happened with the League of Nations -> UN.
