In this form, the draft is unacceptable, an MEP of Hungary’s ruling Fidesz said in daily Magyar Idők. The draft submitted to the EP’s Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee’s report on Hungary fails to cite as a positive example any progressive measure taken by the government in the field, Lívia Járóka said.

The European lawmaker called it “outrageous” that the authors qualified the definition of family in Hungary’s basic law as “narrow and outdated”. She criticised the report for saying that Hungarian women are exposed to more violence than the EU average and for urging therefore the Hungarian government to ratify the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.

Járóka, who is of Roma origin herself, called the claim that the Roma women’s access to medical care is limited as “totally unfounded”. Concerning abortion, the MEP said that the situation in Hungary is similar to many other EU member states and expressed incomprehension over the report branding Hungary’s approach to abortion as “old-fashioned”.

Járóka said she had submitted proposed amendments to the report presenting positive measures.