• Home
• Channel: Current Affairs
• New German Gov't Must Respect Hungary's Sovereignty, Says Justice Minister

New German Gov't Must Respect Hungary's Sovereignty, Says Justice Minister

• 28 Dec 2021 7:19 AM
• Hungary Matters

Germany’s new federal government has to respect Hungary’s sovereignty, Justice Minister Judit Varga said in an interview published by German daily Die Welt.

Varga said that although there were “fundamental ideological differences” between Hungary’s government and the new German ruling coalition comprising the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), those differences “shouldn’t prevent us from working together”.

Asked if the disagreements around the enforcement of rule-of-law principles and the issue of migration would have a negative effect on the two governments’ ties, the minister said the “conflict concerning the rule of law” was “ideological in nature” and “not about specifics”.

These kinds of disagreements, she said, were only “a means for taking action against Hungary”. “We demand that the new federal government respect our sovereignty”, Varga said, underlining that this included Hungary’s migration and family policies as well.

She said Germany should not expand its policies to other countries, adding that it was in Germany’s right to decide that it wanted to become “a country of immigrants”, but this “doesn’t apply to us”.

Put to her that the infringement procedures against Hungary were not being pursued by the German government, and that the ongoing disagreements were between the Hungarian government and the European Commission, the minister said Berlin was using the issue of the rule of law “as an excuse to criticise the Hungarian government”, and was “accusing” Hungary of not respecting EU laws when it comes to migration.

She also said there was “no proof” to back up allegations made by Germany’s Greens and Liberals that there were problems with the enforcement of the rule of law in Hungary.

Varga said Hungary had never talked about going against EU law, adding, however, that the bloc’s legal system needed to be “adjusted to reality”.


MTI Photo: Márton Mónus

• How does this content make you feel?
• I love it
• I like it
• I dislike it

• New German Gov't Hungary's Sovereignty Justice Minister

XpatLoop Media Partner

Hungary Matters

Launched in January 2014, this newsletter published on week days covers 'everything you need to know about what’s going on in Hungary and beyond', according to its publisher the state media agency MTI.

Explore More Reports

Hungarian Opinion on Péter Magyar, Ex-Husband of Former Justice Minister

• 11 Apr 2024 2:55 PM

Weekly newspapers were already on the stands when tens of thousands of people attended the 15 March rally where Péter Magyar, the divorced husband of former justice minister Judit Varga announced his plan to set up a new centrist party. This week, most commentators express scepticism about his initiative.



State of Emergency Extended in Hungary Until 19 November

• 11 Apr 2024 5:39 AM

Lawmakers have approved an amendment that authorises the government to prolong the state of emergency in connection with the war in Ukraine until November 19.



Shocker: Former Hungarian Justice Minister Accuses Ex-Husband Of 'Blackmail, Terrorising Her' After He Leaks Secret Recording

• 30 Mar 2024 5:53 AM

“Péter Magyar has blackmailed and terrorised me,” Judit Varga, the former justice minister, said on Facebook, referring to her ex-husband who on Tuesday published a recording of a conversation between them which he made secretly in their family home.



New Demo in Budapest: Magyar Demands Resignation Of Public Prosecutor, and Whole Gov't

• 28 Mar 2024 4:39 AM

At a demonstration in central Budapest on Tuesday evening, Péter Magyar demanded the resignation of Chief Prosecutor Péter Polt and the government, and called for a truly independent investigation of a case referred to in a recording he secretly made in his home of a conversation with his ex-wife, the former justice minister.