Europees Parlement debatteert over plannen Hongaarse voorzitterschap en omstreden mediawet (en)

A heated debate arose at the European Parliament’s plenary session on 19 January 2011, after Prime Minister Viktor Orbán i presented the Hungarian Presidency’s six-month programme. MEPs taking the floor, supported the Presidency’s objectives, but many criticised the Hungarian Media Act. At the end of the debate Mr Orbán said that he did not expect the Hungarian Presidency to be a triumphal march and was prepared for tough debates.

At the end of his speech, presenting the Presidency’s programme in the European Parliament, Viktor Orbán asked MEPs not to confuse their opinions, whatever they were, on Hungary’s internal policy with the Presidency of the EU Council. “I am ready for a battle”, said the Hungarian premiere but warned that if the distinction was not made, it would mainly harm the entire EU rather than Hungary.

After the presentation of the Hungarian Presidency’s programme, announced with the motto “Strong Europe”, over thirty MEPs took to the floor in the debate, where at times became quite heated, at the EP i’s plenary session in Strasbourg.

Daul: “I have no reason to doubt”

Joseph Daul i , Head of the Parliamentary Group of the European People’s Party, stressed that the Presidency is facing the challenges of the state of the euro, unemployment, energy dependency and food safety. Viktor Orbán’s party is based on freedom and democracy, and introduced several reforms using the extensive support of its voters, said the Head of Group.

Daul welcomed the Hungarian premiere’s promise to initiate the amendment of the Media Act in Hungarian Parliament if the Commission found it incompatible with EU law. “I have faith in you”, said the Head of the Group of the People’s Party. “We have known each other for a long time, and I think that you are a great European. I have no doubt that you will do what you said about the Media Act and the other objectives of the Presidency”.

Schulz: a more balanced Media Act

Martin Schulz i , Head of the Group of the Socialists and Democrats stated that he respects achievements of Fidesz , the ruling Hungarian party, in its fight against communism. At the same time, the German politician encouraged Orbán to return to the traditions of former Hungarian prime minister, József Antall, and asked him to make a more balanced Media Act.

Mr Schulz praised the Hungarian Presidency’s programme. He agreed with the Hungarian Prime Minister that Europe needs to solve some grave problems: to manage the budgetary problems of member states, the high food prices of European and neighbouring countries; and the serious issues of employment policy. “When I am reading your programme, I can see many things on which we can work together”, said Mr Schulz. The Head of Group added, “In this sense, you are a genuine member of the European People’s Party.”

Verhofstadt: “a bull in a china shop”

Belgian Guy Verhofstadt i, Head of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, fully supported the Hungarian Presidency’s objectives and motto “Strong Europe” on behalf of his party. According to Mr Verhofstadt, Europe needs realistic economic governance and a tax union as soon as possible. The Head of Group thinks that the bond market of the 27 member states, which give the same number of chances for speculation, should be replaced by a 4-5000 billion euro market.

Verhofstadf said that the Hungarian Media Act is “a bull in a china shop”. As the politician said, the Slovakian Language Act and the Hungarian Media Act would have prevented Sándor Márai from writing Confessions of a Bourgeois in Hungarian in Košice, and from working as a journalist. The Head of Group hoped that Mr Orbán will use his two-third majority, the dream of every politician, to amend the Media Act.

Cohn-Bendit: Hungarian Government heading towards national populism

Daniel Cohn Bendit i , Head of Group of Greens/European Free Alliance, also expressed his respect to the Hungarian premiere for his role in the change of regime, but took the view that his government is now heading toward national populism. He remembered crying when Hungary lost the World Cup finals in 1954, and his first-ever protest against the 1956 Soviet intervention in Hungary while holding his brother’s hand. But now, he added, he saw Viktor Orbán “heading to become the Chávez of Europe”. The leading spokesman of the Greens, missed the reaction to the Tunisian revolution in the Prime Minister’s speech.

Bokros: “Hungary is at home in Europe”

Lajos Bokros i , leading speaker of the European Conservatives and Reformists, quoted Hungarian poet Miklós Randóti’s poem “I cannot know”, and declared that “Hungary is at home in Europe and is worthy of the Presidency”. He only raised the question whether the Hungarian government is worthy of the position. Mr Bokros criticised the government’s recent measures, preferring Hungary to Venezuela and Bolivia, and stated that “the emerging chaos and diplomatic wreckage in the country are diverting the attention of the Government and the European public opinion from Europe”.

Cultural diversity

Lothar Bisky i , Head of the Group of the European Unitary Left/Northern Green Left, expressed his satisfaction that the Hungarian Presidency’s priorities include the preservation of cultural diversity and the social inclusion of minorities such as the European Roma population.

On behalf of the Europe of Freedom and Democracy group, Nigel Farage said that “it is good to see an elected prime minister from a decent country”. Mr Farage praised Hungary for being the first country to take up arms against the Soviet Union. Mr Farage said that in the Union “they want to tell you how to govern your own country. Stand up and fight for democracy again”, he added.

Ill-willed statements

After the leading speakers, further MEPs took the floor on behalf of various groups. Many criticised the Hungarian Media Act, but a number of them also expressed that the relevant statements are exaggerated, ill-willed and hypo-critical.

Many assured the Presidency of their support in its objectives, in particular energy security, the Roma strategy and Croatia’s accession to the EU. An MEP thanked the Prime Minister for mentioning the importance of the freedom of religion in his speech. Some disapproved that Hungary is granting citizenship to Hungarians living outside the country, while another MEP believed that the Hungarian government party is the solution against populist extremists.

Orbán: “a nation cannot be insulted”

Viktor Orbán first reacted to the comments in the debate “wearing the Prime Minister’s hat”. He called remarks on the Media Act factual mistakes and expressed hope that the Commission will be able to adopt an objective position on the disputed law. He quoted Martin Schulz, Head of the Socialist Group, who believed that the Hungarian Presidency will be judged by its performance and not by its programme. Mr Orbán proposed MEPs to apply the same principle to the Hungarian Media Act.

“Cohen-Bendit’s incendiary rhetoric is innocent baby-babbling” as opposed to the Hungarian media coverage of the Media Act, said Mr Orbán arguing that the freedom of press and opinion is not in danger in Hungary. He asked how anyone can believe that the freedom of press could be suppressed and the free movement of opinions could be restricted in the age of digitalisation and the internet. As Mr Orbán said, it is not the Media Act that bothers critics, but the government’s unprecedented parliamentary majority.

Hungary is currently reinforcing the rule of law “after its destruction by a policy that you have never criticised”, the prime minister remarked. Turning to a German liberal MEP Mr Orbán warned that he will not tolerate “anyone questioning the Hungarian people’s democratic commitment, only because we lived in a dictatorship for forty years”. He reiterated “the Media Act may and should be criticised” but “a nation cannot be insulted”.

Eurobond is inevitable in the long run

On behalf of the Presidency, Mr Orbán declared that Hungary finds the introduction of the Eurobond necessary and inevitable in the long run, and will back any policy pushing things in this direction. At the same time, he urged member state representatives, to convince national governments “not to use” the establishment of bond markets “for sparing structural reforms”.

Finally, Mr Orbán reassured his audience that the Hungarian government has the strength to take care of the Presidency’s tasks and, at the same time, to “keep alive” the debate abroad over Hungary’s internal matters as necessary. Acknowledging the embarrassing nature of the situation Mr Orbán noted that “we are not happy with it” but attacks, related to Hungary’s domestic issues cannot divert the Hungarian Government from pushing through its Presidency programme. Mr Orbán promised that the Hungarian Presidency will be one of the most successful six months in the EU’s history.

Buzek: “it was a really important announcement”

After the parliamentary hearing, Mr Orbán told a press conference that foreign journalists have a right to criticise Hungary’s domestic issues, but he will not accept foreign elected members of parliament questioning Hungarian democracy.

In concluding the press conference, EP President, Jerzy Buzek i, found it very important that Mr Orbán promised the European Parliament to amend the Hungarian Media Act if the Commission found it contrary to European Law. “This was a particularly important announcement and we will take it very seriously”, said the President of the EP.