Preparations for the Hungarian EU presidency in the second half of 2024 are progressing well, Minister of Justice Judit Varga said about the preparations for the Hungarian EU presidency in 2024 at a briefing held on Monday at the European Affairs Committee of the Parliament. He noted that the members of the opposition in the EP are doing amazing mine work against their own nation, even though they should be working for the sake of the nation.

Listing the priorities of the Hungarian presidency, the minister talked about improving competitiveness, dealing with demographic challenges, promoting the EU enlargement process, the fight against illegal migration, strengthening defense policy at the EU level, cohesion policy and the next 7-year EU budget. Judit Varga said: it is strategically important to improve the competitiveness of the EU and its member states, to take a comprehensive approach to the problem and to integrate it into individual policies.

The demographic crisis of the EU has a serious impact on the competitiveness of the Union, which is why it is justified to embrace family policy at the EU level, while respecting the competences of the Member States.

Regarding the promotion of the enlargement of the EU to the Western Balkans, the minister emphasized that the inclusion of Serbia is the key to accelerating the accession process of the countries of the region. Regarding the fight against illegal migration, Judit Varga called for an overview of the connections between the asylum and security aspects of migration. The minister emphasized the strengthening of the industrial and technological base of the European defense sector, defense innovation, and the importance of defense procurement cooperation between member states. In connection with the cohesion policy, he spoke about the fact that the mid-term review of the cohesion programs must be carried out during the Hungarian EU presidency. Judit Varga also spoke about Hungary's priority task of managing the work of the European Council during the preparation for the negotiation of the next seven-year financial framework.

The minister said that the consecutive presidency ensures continuity in the work of the council, fulfills the task of an honest mediator, represents the common interests of the council and the 27 member states, even vis-à-vis individual institutions of the union. Judit Varga also drew attention to the fact that the European Parliament elections will be held in the Union between June 6 and 9, 2024, and that the mandate of the committee and the President of the European Council will expire in October. András Fekete-Győr, Member of Parliament of Momentum, asked the minister, among other things, how they are trying to eliminate the crisis of confidence between the EU and the Hungarian government, in order to finally receive the EU funds due to the country. Enikő Győri, a member of the European Parliament of Fidesz, pointed out at the committee meeting that

the Hungarian presidency in 2024 should not be compared to 2011, because the situation is completely different, the EP is a loose cannon, and the Hungarian opposition is doing everything in the EP to prevent Hungary from receiving the EU money it deserves.

Let the opposition decide: does it want the Hungarian EU presidency to be successful at all! - remarked the politician from the government party.

In Judit Varga's answer, she highlighted, among other things:

the representatives of the opposition are doing amazing mine work in the EP against their own nation, even though they should be working for the nation.

The minister asked the opposition politicians to stop. Judit Varga also said that about 800-900 professionals will work on the success of the Hungarian EU presidency, who have been prepared to do their work with great expertise and a Hungarian heart. János Bóka, State Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, said: there is a crisis of trust between the EU institutions and the Hungarian government, the main reason of which is that the Hungarian government says what it thinks, but the EU institutions are hypocrites.

Source: Vasarnap.hu

Featured image: MTI/Lajos Soós