Orbán calls for resignation of EC VP Jourová
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has called for the resignation of the European Commissionʼs VP for Values and Transparency Vera Jourová, for making what the PM described as "inappropriate" and "unacceptable" statements in a letter to EC President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday, according to a report by state news wire MTI.
Vera Jourová
Addressing what he called the "latest derogatory public statements" of Jourová, made in an interview with German weekly Spiegel, Orbán noted the EC VP had said that "a ʼsick democracyʼ is being built" in Hungary.
In the Spiegel interview, Jourová discussed the state of the rule of law in countries of the EU, commenting on the current situation in Germany, Poland, and Hungary. She described the state of the Hungarian media landscape as "alarming."
She said that there was hardly any criticism of the government in the local media, meaning that a large majority of Hungarians were possibly no longer in the position to form a free opinion.
"She insulted EU citizens of Hungarian nationality by saying that they are not in a position to form an independent opinion," Orbán said in the letter posted online by the governmentʼs international spokesman Zoltán Kovács.
"These statements are not only a direct political attack against the democratically elected government of Hungary that has become commonplace, but also a humiliation to Hungary and the Hungarian people. The former is inappropriate, the latter is unacceptable," the PM wrote.
"The statements are in contradiction with the Commissionʼs role as a neutral and objective institution enshrined in the Lisbon Treaty. They are a blatant violation of the principle of sincere cooperation and prevent any meaningful future dialogue between Hungary and the vice president," he added.
"Those who violate the treaties cannot pose as the defenders of rule of law and European values. The statements of Vice President Vera Jourová are incompatible with her current mandate, therefore her resignation is indispensable," he noted.
"Meanwhile, the Hungarian government suspends all bilateral political contacts with her," he wrote in closing.
According to a Tweet by news agency AFP, von der Leyenʼs spokesperson said that the EC President has"full trust" in Jourová.
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