Hungary Begins Preparations for 2024 EU Presidency
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Loading... - Oyen Anders
- 14 Jun 2023
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Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his government officials participated in the preparatory forum for the Council formations of the Hungarian EU Presidency in the latter half of 2024, as communicated by Bertalan Havasi, the prime minister's press chief, to MTI.
The Prime Minister declared that Hungary has commenced its preparations for the EU Presidency. He emphasized that his government, equipped with ample experience and readiness, is gearing up for its unprecedented second term of presidency in Europe.
Viktor Orbán underscored the commitment of Hungary to address the challenges faced by Europe collaboratively and efficiently.
He expressed gratitude to his colleagues in the European Council Secretariat, namely Didier Seeuws, Director-General for General and Institutional Policy, and Agnieszka Bartol, Director-General for Communication and Information, for accepting the invitation to visit Budapest and for sharing their experiences with Hungarian ministers during the two-day preparatory meeting.
Hungary has recently faced mounting political criticism from the European Union.
Among the recent criticisms is the European Parliament questioning Hungary's suitability for the upcoming EU presidency due to concerns regarding the rule of law.
The European Parliament passed a resolution expressing doubts about Hungary's ability to credibly assume the rotating presidency of the EU Council in 2024, citing non-compliance with EU law, values, and the principle of sincere cooperation. The Parliament urged the Council to find a suitable solution and reminded them that they could take "appropriate measures" if no resolution is reached.
Fortunately, the decision regarding the presidency does not rest with the Parliament, and the European Council has shown no inclination to deny Hungary this opportunity. Currently, Sweden holds the rotating EU presidency until June 30, and the Swedish Minister for European Affairs has announced that they have no intention of initiating a debate on the matter.
