Szegedist
05-17-2013, 07:18 PM
Every effort should be made to guide Hungary towards the right path, but expelling the country from the EU should not be an option, Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor said in Berlin on Thursday.
At a Europe forum organised by the public-service broadcaster Westdeutscher Rundfunk, Merkel said “there is no need to send the artillery right in,” she said.
Merkel spoke in response to remarks by Social Democrat Peer Steinbruck, who said at the event that as regards anti-democratic and segregating processes in Hungary, in principle, the option of exclusion from the EU should not be ruled out.
Merkel said she fully agreed with the European Commission that Hungary must change legislation which is not in line with EU treaties. She added that she had discussed this on several occasions with Prime Minister Viktor Orban who had reassured her every time that the Hungarian government took European criticism seriously.
The political family [of the EPP] will pay attention to the reaction of Budapest, she added.
Merkel said in response to Steinbruck’s opinion that if there were doubts regarding the compatibility of Hungarian laws and EU treaties, then “first we must talk and then change the laws”.
Hungary had helped Germany during its unification, which Germans will never forget. At the same time, there is “no loophole”; if it transpires that there are anti-Semitic tendencies or other damaging processes taking place. In these cases “an open dialogue must be pursued, which we are accustomed to” and everything must be done to “put our Hungarian friends on the right path,” Merkel said.
Gergely Prohle, deputy state secretary at the foreign ministry, told MTI on Thursday that Merkel’s remarks gave no reason for concern as Merkel was right to trust Hungary would choose “the European solution” and observe EU principles and laws.
At a Europe forum organised by the public-service broadcaster Westdeutscher Rundfunk, Merkel said “there is no need to send the artillery right in,” she said.
Merkel spoke in response to remarks by Social Democrat Peer Steinbruck, who said at the event that as regards anti-democratic and segregating processes in Hungary, in principle, the option of exclusion from the EU should not be ruled out.
Merkel said she fully agreed with the European Commission that Hungary must change legislation which is not in line with EU treaties. She added that she had discussed this on several occasions with Prime Minister Viktor Orban who had reassured her every time that the Hungarian government took European criticism seriously.
The political family [of the EPP] will pay attention to the reaction of Budapest, she added.
Merkel said in response to Steinbruck’s opinion that if there were doubts regarding the compatibility of Hungarian laws and EU treaties, then “first we must talk and then change the laws”.
Hungary had helped Germany during its unification, which Germans will never forget. At the same time, there is “no loophole”; if it transpires that there are anti-Semitic tendencies or other damaging processes taking place. In these cases “an open dialogue must be pursued, which we are accustomed to” and everything must be done to “put our Hungarian friends on the right path,” Merkel said.
Gergely Prohle, deputy state secretary at the foreign ministry, told MTI on Thursday that Merkel’s remarks gave no reason for concern as Merkel was right to trust Hungary would choose “the European solution” and observe EU principles and laws.