That Hungary, Poland and Slovenia threaten to block the multi-year budget of the EU and the corona recovery fund, is what Prime Minister Alexander De Croo calls ‘a dangerous game’. He argues that the European Council at tonight’s digital summit “will not compromise on the basic values of the European Union.”
–
The prime minister said this in parliament, where he was asked about the situation. ‘We are not going to negotiate the fundamental values that form the basis of a constitutional state, which gives us the guarantees about the freedoms that underlie it. But we are going to put a lot of effort into persuasion, ”he said about the resistance of Hungary, Poland and Slovenia to the control mechanism for respect for the rule of law. Because the countries cannot block that mechanism, they threaten to shoot off the entire multi-year budget.
According to De Croo, the three are playing a ‘dangerous game’ by threatening to block the multi-year budget and the recovery fund. “We all need that recovery fund, including Hungary and Poland for that matter,” he said.
• READ ALSO. Grant poker for autocrats
Observers consider it unlikely that a solution will soon be found on Thursday evening that will allow Hungary and Poland to immediately support the budget and the recovery fund. At best, an agreement would be expected around 9 p.m. However, if multiple consultation rounds are required, no notification is to be expected before 11 pm.
There are calls within the EU to establish a corona recovery fund without Poland and Hungary. For the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte it is an option, Germany does not see it (for the time being).
– .
