Political groups to clash over Hungary sanctions

Eurozone and Hungary on plenary session agenda.

The Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group in the European Parliament is threatening to push for political sanctions against Hungary if an EU legal probe finds its media law violates press freedoms.

The new media law is set to overshadow the visit of Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s prime minister, to the Parliament during its 17-20 January plenary session in Strasbourg.

The session will also address uncertainty over the eurozone’s stability and pressure on Portugal to seek an EU bail-out, as part of a debate with Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council, on Tuesday (18 January).

MEPs from the S&D group, the Greens and the Liberals have all vowed to grill Orbán on the law during the presentation of his country’s EU presidency agenda on Wednesday (19 January). The three groups claim the law will curb press freedoms in Hungary and violate the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights.

“There are so many issues that are so controversial in this law that demand answers,” said Renate Weber, a Liberal MEP from Romania.

Kinga Göncz, a centre-left MEP from Hungary, said the S&D group was studying possible sanctions under the Lisbon treaty’s Article 7, which gives the Parliament the right to recommend sanctions against a member state found to be in violation of EU values.

The treaty provision, if backed by the Parliament and a majority of member states, can suspend the voting rights of member states.

“It could be opened,” Göncz said. She added, though, that any action would await the results of a legal review of the law by the European Commission. “It is the responsibility of the European Parliament to protect fundamental rights and democracy.”

Defending Hungary

The Parliament’s civil liberties, justice and home affairs committee has scheduled an emergency meeting on Monday (17 January) to discuss the law. The committee has invited Viviane Reding, the European commissioner for justice and fundamental rights, Neelie Kroes, the European commissioner for the digital agenda, and a minister from the Hungarian government.

The S&D, the Liberals and the Greens have already lined up against the centre-right European People’s Party over the Hungarian law. György Schöpflin, a Hungarian centre-right MEP and member of the Fidesz party, said that the EPP group will defend Orbán in the Parliament.

“If we are subject to an attack the rest of the EPP will back us,” Schöpflin said. He called criticism of the law unjustified and warned it could turn Hungarians against the EU.

Also at the plenary, MEPs are expected to approve the EU’s Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Serbia, after member states agreed in June to start the ratification process of the accord in their national parliaments. MEPs will also discuss the garbage crisis in Naples, gay rights in Lithuania, and the independence referendum in South Sudan.

The Parliament’s legal affairs committee will hold a special meeting on Thursday (20 January) to debate a European Commission proposal to use the “enhanced co-operation” process to create a single EU-wide patent. A committee vote is expected on 27 January.