On Monday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktors Orbáns mocked the European Parliament (EP) over the corruption scandal involving one of the EP’s vice-presidents.
“Good morning to the European Parliament,” Orban tweeted, posting a photo from 1981, showing former US presidents Ronald Reagan and George HW Bush in a bunch of laughing firecrackers.
The text above the photo reads: “And they said the EP is seriously concerned about corruption in Hungary.”
The European Commission (EC) has recommended keeping the €13 billion earmarked for Hungary from European Union (EU) funds frozen until Budapest implements further major reforms to improve the rule of law and fight corruption.
The EP also voted to freeze the funds. However, on Friday, the European Parliament itself was rocked by a corruption scandal.
Brussels police are investigating allegations that individuals acting on behalf of Qatar have paid bribes to European politicians to influence European political debate. One of the suspects is European Parliament Vice-President Eva Kaili.
She was suspended from the duties of Vice-President of the Parliament, as well as from the duties of representative of the President of the European Parliament in the Middle East. However, Kaili is still an MEP.
EU foreign ministers warned on Monday the scandal could undermine the credibility of European institutions.
On Saturday, Hungarian MEP Balažs Hidvegi accused left-wing members of the EP of “fabricating lies about corruption in Hungary” for years.
“Now their political leader (..) is involved in the biggest corruption scandal in EU history,” Hidwegi tweeted, accusing the EP politicians of hypocrisy.
