The EP’s assessment of the European Commission’s latest Rule of Law Report was adopted with 405 votes in favour, 210 against and 36 abstentions and points to "worrying developments" in member states.

Concerning Hungary, the report highlights alleged "political influence on the prosecution service" and the alleged misuse of EU funds. It urged the Council of the EU to advance the Article 7 procedure launched against Hungary.

The report also highlighted the "deterioration of protection for minorities and vulnerable groups, with a strong focus on LGBTIQ+ people", and called on the EU to criminalise hate crimes and hate speech at the EU level.

The EP condemned "attacks on press freedom, the use of spyware against journalists and civil society, and the spread of disinformation undermining democratic processes".

"Parliament highlights worrying developments in relation to the right of assembly and a rapidly shrinking civic space, attacks on LGBTIQ+ rights, weak anti-corruption enforcement, the rise of extremism, threats to electoral processes, and the use of technology to curtail democratic rights," the statement said.
 

MEPs called for the use of a "more comprehensive toolbox" that links EU funding more closely with adherence to the rule of law. They urged the European Commission to ensure that EU funds reach their intended beneficiaries, including via direct funding mechanisms.


Source: MTI – Hungary’s national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent.

Since the goal of XpatLoop is to keep readers well briefed, right across the spectrum of opinions, MTI items are shared to ensure readers are aware of all narratives within the local media.

XpatLoop believes in empowering readers to form their own views through complete and comprehensive coverage. To facilitate this XpatLoop has a balanced range of news partners, as you can see when you surf around XpatLoop.com

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