In the dispute over the release of frozen EU funds to Hungary, MEPs today voted in a resolution to refer the European Commission to the European Court of Justice. The text was supported by the Greens/EFA group and other political groups in the European Parliament. The Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee is now tasked with preparing the case.

MEP Manuela Ripa (ÖDP) supports this approach. At the EU summit in December, a feint was the only way to prevent Orbán from blocking the start of EU accession negotiations with Ukraine. Manuela Ripa comments:

"You give Mr. Orbán ten billion, and a few hours later he agrees to leave the room for a moment while the accession negotiations with Ukraine are being voted on. How naive the Commission thinks the citizens of the EU are when it tries to make us believe that the one has nothing to do with the other. In reality, Orbán was paid blood money for not blocking the Ukraine decision. This was the only way to achieve the necessary unanimity. This is scandalous and that is why I support the European Parliament's decision to challenge the release of the funds before the European Court of Justice. The Parliament is fully living up to its important role as the Commission's watchdog here."

On the eve of the summit in December, the EU Commission released the 10.2 billion euros in EU aid for Hungary that had previously been blocked due to a lack of rule of law. Allegedly, Hungary had strengthened the independence of the judiciary with its latest judicial reform, which is why the funds could be released. However, MEP Ripa points out that both Amnesty International and the Hungarian Helsinki Committee consider the reforms in Hungary to be completely insufficient to return to the rule of law. Ripa's Greens/EFA group and the three other large political groups in the European Parliament also share this criticism.

Manuela Ripa calls for an end to appeasement towards Hungary's destructive policies and to finally show a clear stance against Orbán. As long as democratic standards are not established, no more EU money from the Cohesion Fund and the Corona Reconstruction Fund should be transferred to Budapest.

In view of the war in Ukraine and the constant threats that Russia's President Putin is also making against the EU, as well as the danger of Donald Trump returning to the White House, MEP Manuela Ripa is calling on the EU to finally act as one. In particular, Hungary's constant cross-firing is no longer acceptable. Hungary's President Viktor Orbán is acting like a vassal of Russia and is aiming to weaken or even dismantle the EU from within.

For this very reason, it is also necessary to find a successor for EU Council President Charles Michel as quickly as possible. As he is a candidate for the European Parliament, he must - if elected - step down several months before the actual end of his mandate. According to EU rules, he would be replaced by the head of government of the country holding the EU presidency: from July, this will be Hungary of all countries. Manuela Ripa:

"It is hard to imagine Victor Orbán acting as EU Council President for several months from July 16. That would be a disservice to the EU. That's why the question of who could succeed Michel as an interim solution has absolute priority."

In order to prevent the government of a member state from blackmailing the EU with veto threats like Orbán, the EU absolutely must move away from the unanimity principle and introduce majority decisions, Manuela Ripa concluded.