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European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday reminded Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán that race-based discriminations are in opposition to EU values.
“All EU member states, together with Hungary, signed as much as widespread international values,” von der Leyen advised Slovak information web site aktuality.sk on Saturday, including that “discriminating on the idea of race is to trample on these values. The European Union is constructed on equality, tolerance, justice and honest play.”
Von der Leyen didn’t point out the Hungarian chief explicitly. However her feedback got here in response to a query on a controversial speech Orbán gave final weekend, through which he notably stated he didn’t need Hungary to be a “mixed-race” nation.
“Whereas it’s true that some folks will all the time bask in hostile rhetoric, society as an entire is way stronger,” von der Leyen stated, generically referring to Central European nations.
Orbán’s speech triggered robust criticism — together with from Luxembourg, Finland and even from one in all Orbán’s longtime advisers, who resigned in response to it — however not from the European Fee which, till Saturday, declined to touch upon the speech.
Leaders of the European Parliament’s primary teams on Friday criticized Orbán’s “inexcusable statements” on race and Europe. They urged the EU to proceed withholding funds from the nation.
“We, the leaders of the Political Teams of the European Parliament, strongly condemn the current brazenly racist declaration by Prime Minister Orbán about not desirous to turn out to be ‘peoples of blended race,’” learn a press release from the Parliament’s Convention of Presidents, which incorporates leaders of the legislative physique’s varied political teams, in addition to Parliament President Roberta Metsola.
Over the previous decade, Orbán’s authorities in Budapest has usually been at odds with EU establishments, which have accused the prime minister and his officers of undermining democracy and the rule of regulation in Hungary.
The Fee is at present withholding billions of euros in pandemic aid funds from the Hungarian authorities, insisting that Budapest first undertake reforms to its judicial system and contract-bidding course of. Brussels can be threatening to chop again common EU funds funds to the nation over rule-of-law considerations.
On the identical time, Orbán has irked European leaders by creating an in depth relationship with Moscow. Most lately, he sought to water down some sanctions in opposition to Russia.
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