A delegation of European Union lawmakers visiting Budapest has called on the EU’s highest court to suspend a recently enacted law banning Budapest Pride events, amid widespread concerns over Hungary’s deteriorating democratic standards and the treatment of LGBTQ+ communities. The delegation’s visit, which lasted three days and concluded on Wednesday, coincided with the passage of a constitutional amendment through the Hungarian parliament that effectively allows authorities to prohibit LGBTQ+ events.
The group, led by Dutch Green MEP Tineke Strik, represented a cross-party team sent to assess Hungary’s political climate and democratic practices. Strik expressed deep concern over what she described as a rapid decline in democratic norms. Speaking at the conclusion of the visit, she stated: “We eagerly want this country to turn back into a real democracy, because we think that Hungarian citizens should enjoy the same rights and values as we all do in the EU.”
The constitutional amendment, passed on the same day the delegation arrived, codifies a controversial law enacted in March which bans Pride marches and authorises the use of facial recognition to identify participants, who could then face fines. Human rights organisations have characterised the legislation as “a full-frontal attack” on the LGBTQ+ community. Strik highlighted the risks faced by organisers and participants of Budapest Pride, noting, “they risk facing criminal charges for marching peacefully in support of diversity, equality and freedom, as they have done for the last 29 years.”
The delegation has urged the European Commission, the EU’s executive body responsible for ensuring compliance with EU law, to request the European Court of Justice suspend the contentious legislation through an interim measure while further legal proceedings take place. The Commission, responding to the constitutional changes on Tuesday, reaffirmed its readiness to act if necessary. At the time of reporting, it was unclear whether the Commission had responded to the call for suspension.
The delegation also met with representatives of Hungary’s LGBTQ+ community and civil society, gaining firsthand experience of the “very hostile atmosphere” created by the new law, as described by Polish MEP Krzysztof Śmiszek, a member of the New Left. Sámiszek linked the legislation to an increase in physical attacks and other forms of hate crimes targeting LGBTQ+ Hungarians.
Michal Wawrykiewicz, a centre-right Polish MEP who has campaigned for judicial independence, spoke of “an indisputable deterioration of the situation” and an “open denial of the rule of law” in Hungary. He also recounted “very aggressive” and “rude” conduct by some officials encountered during the visit. Sophie Wilmès, former Belgian prime minister and liberal MEP, described authorities’ rhetoric as increasingly aggressive towards the delegation. She raised concerns about the pressure being exerted on independent media outlets, pointing out that “smear campaigns have become the new norm” due to the Hungarian government’s extensive influence over the media landscape.
The delegation faced obstacles in scheduling meetings with several government departments, which declined without explanation, according to Strik. Moreover, three nationalist and far-right groups in the European Parliament—the European Conservatives and Reformists, Patriots for Europe, and the Europe of Sovereign Nations Group—chose not to participate in the delegation’s visit.
The parliamentary mission concluded around the same time as a significant development in US-Hungary relations: the announcement that the United States government would lift sanctions imposed on Antal Rogán, a close adviser to Hungary’s Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán. Rogán was added to the US sanctions list in January 2021 during the final days of the Biden administration due to allegations of corruption. The Hungarian government had previously indicated intentions to challenge the sanctions once the Biden administration gave way to that of Donald Trump.
Prime Minister Orbán has been known as a staunch supporter of former US President Trump, famously declaring he would “open several bottles of champagne” were Trump to be re-elected. Hungary notably stood alone among EU member states in voting against the bloc’s retaliatory measures in response to Trump-era tariffs, although these tariffs were later suspended following a policy reversal by the White House.
In a related development, the Trump administration released a report outlining foreign trade barriers that included concerns about corruption in Hungary’s public procurement procedures. Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s foreign minister, responded by alleging that sections of the report were “dictated by” the previous US ambassador to Budapest, David Pressman, who had been a vocal critic of the Hungarian government’s democratic backsliding and foreign policy decisions.
The Guardian is reporting on these developments, highlighting the intersection of Hungary’s internal political shifts, the EU’s response to perceived democratic erosion, and the evolving dynamics of Hungarian-US relations amidst ongoing controversies regarding governance and human rights.
Source: Noah Wire Services