Socialists implore EU not to suspend Hungary’s money stream or voting rights

The opposition Hungarian Socialist Party does not support any sanction that would block any funding for Hungary or its voting right in the European Union, party leader Attila Mesterházy said in Brussels on Wednesday. The Socialist politician met vice-presidents and members of the European Commission, including Neelie Kroes, Maros Sefcovic, Michel Barnier, Lászlo Andor, Johannes Hahn and Stefan Fule, European Parliament President Martin Schulz and European Socialist parliamentary group leader Hannes Swoboda. Mesterházy said he went to Brussels to convince his partners that the European Union should not punish Hungary and the Hungarian people in any form for the erroneous, mistaken measures the government had taken. “Not the Hungarian people, not Hungary should be penalised if a government or a prime minister acts wrongly and regularly wants to fight against our allies and friends,” he said. Mesterházy said the issue “should be settled by us, Hungarians, by replacing the government”. Brussels should not intervene in this process by penalising Hungarians, he said. He said he asked Socialist MEPs not to support any initiative on sanctions against Hungary. Mesterházy reiterated that the Socialist Party disagreed with the recent Fidesz-initiated amendment to the constitution but believed that Brussels should not transgress certain borders so as not to hurt the interests of all Hungarians. He added, however, that no one should be surprised if the Council of Europe or the European Union calls on Hungary to fulfil the norms it approved voluntarily upon its accession.