Published: December 05 2023
Hungary has fulfilled all of the European Commission's demands regarding judicial reform and is now awaiting the arrival of EU funds, according to Justice Minister Bence Tuzson. Tuzson stated that Hungary considers discussions on judicial reform with the EU to be closed and has met all requests that align with its interests.
Hungary's Compliance with EU Demands
Hungary has responded to all questions and fulfilled all requests related to the release of EU funds. The country's priority is to protect its sovereignty and ensure competitiveness from a judicial perspective. Tuzson also mentioned the need to assess the European GDPR rules to determine if they place excessive burdens on small and medium-sized enterprises. He emphasized the importance of Europe not being at a competitive disadvantage compared to the US or China in terms of data control.
Sovereignty and Cooperation with the European Public Prosecutor's Office
While Hungary maintains good cooperation with the European Public Prosecutor's Office, Tuzson stated that the country's investigative powers and the ability to order investigations are matters of sovereignty. Losing these powers would result in a significant loss of sovereignty. Additionally, Tuzson expressed regret that most EU countries separate the matter of domestic security from illegal migration, emphasizing the interconnectedness of these issues.
The Functioning of the EU
Tuzson raised concerns about the long-term functioning of the EU if effective solutions to issues like domestic security and illegal migration are not found. He criticized the focus on pseudo issues such as the rule of law, stating that such distractions compromise the EU's ability to address more pressing problems.
Conclusion
Hungary's compliance with EU demands related to judicial reform has positioned the country to receive EU funds. However, the government remains committed to protecting its sovereignty and ensuring competitiveness. Cooperation with the European Public Prosecutor's Office is important, but Hungary sees investigative powers as a core aspect of its sovereignty. Addressing issues such as domestic security and illegal migration is crucial for the long-term functioning of the EU.
Questions & Answers
What did the Hungarian Justice Minister say regarding EU demands? The Hungarian Justice Minister stated that Hungary has complied with all European Commission demands related to judicial reform.
What does Hungary await from the EU? Hungary awaits the arrival of EU funds.
Who was involved in the meeting of EU justice ministers? The Hungarian Justice Minister spoke to journalists during the break of a meeting of EU justice ministers.
What is Hungary's stance on EU discussions on judicial reform? Hungary now considers EU discussions on judicial reform to be closed.
Who was supposed to participate in the census in Hungary? Every long-term resident of Hungary, both Hungarian citizens and foreign nationals, who have been living in Hungary for at least 3 months as of 1 October 2022.
What is Hungary's top priority regarding judicial reform? Hungary's top priority is to protect its sovereignty and ensure its competitiveness from a judicial point of view.
What issue did the Hungarian Justice Minister mention in relation to European GDPR rules? The Hungarian Justice Minister mentioned that European GDPR rules should be assessed to see whether they overburden small and medium-sized enterprises and whether these burdens could be reduced.
Why does the Hungarian Justice Minister believe it is important for Europe not to be at a competitive disadvantage? The Hungarian Justice Minister believes it is important for Europe not to be at a competitive disadvantage to the US or China, as it is detrimental for both Hungary and the EU if big tech companies know more about people than a country knows about its own citizens.
What did the Hungarian Justice Minister say about cooperation with the European Public Prosecutor's Office? The Hungarian Justice Minister said that cooperation between Hungary and the European Public Prosecutor's Office was "good," but the issue of investigative powers and the ability to order investigations in Hungary was a matter of sovereignty.
What did the Hungarian Justice Minister say regarding domestic security and illegal migration matters? The Hungarian Justice Minister stated that it was "regrettable" that most EU countries treated the matter of domestic security separately from illegal migration matters, and Hungary believes that the two issues are connected.
What concern did the Hungarian Justice Minister express about the functioning of the EU? The Hungarian Justice Minister expressed concern that if the EU fails to find an effective solution to issues such as domestic security and illegal migration, instead focusing on pseudo issues like the rule of law, the functioning of the EU will be compromised in the long term.
