Hungary walks tightrope as ‘honest broker’ in EU presidency while pushing national priorities

4 months ago 18

Hungary promises to be an ‘honest broker’ in the presidency of the Council of the EU, amid concerns over impartiality, focusing on peace in Ukraine, combating illegal migration, family policies, and boosting competitiveness through streamlined approval processes.

Hungary intends to act as an “honest broker” during its presidency, János Bóka, the Minister for European Union Affairs said last Thursday (4 July), repeating what other Hungarian officials said over the past months.

Bóka said that when a member state leads the presidency, it does not represent a country, but an institution.

Zoltán Kovács, the government commissioner of the Hungarian Presidency of the Council, however told reporters, that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán “is going to use the presidency in a political way,”

“There’s a political agenda next to what is expected from a member state running the presidency of the Council,” which commenced this month, Kovács added, seemingly contradicting Bóka’s statement about representing an institution.

His comments are likely to add further to those concerns EU diplomats in Brussels already had, over how Budapest will steer the policy and political agenda of the EU in the coming six months.

Hungary’s Orbán travels to Moscow, days after Kyiv trip

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán travelled to Moscow on Thursday (4 July) to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, only a few days after his visit to Kyiv, on a trip that earned him stern rebukes from EU officials and diplomats.

The primary cornerstone of the Hungarian political framework during its presidency is advocating for peace, especially in the ongoing war in Ukraine, Kovács said, going against the idea shared by most of Kyiv’s supporters, that the war-torn country should be the one to declare when ready for peace.

European security and defence are currently high on the EU’s agenda, with a new industrial strategy in the works while the Ukraine war continues.

Over the past month, the Hungarian Prime minister has shaken his European counterparts by travelling to Moscow, criticised EU sanctions against Russia, and extended his hand towards Chinese businesses.

There are concerns over his respect for EU values, with his controversial policies, for example the lack of protection for media freedom. The bloc has previously taken steps against Hungary for perceived democratic backsliding, including invoking Article 7 proceedings.

This led the European Parliament to question whether Viktor Orbán’s country should be the one to drive forward the EU’s agenda.

Hungary’s EU presidency predecessors, the Belgians, rushed against time to close as many files as possible, as many raised questions about Budapest’s ability to act as an unbiased leader during its term.

Migration and family: a national focus

He talked about the importance of combating “illegal migration”, describing it as an “existential threat” to Europe and pointed to the Hungarian model as a successful example of border protection.

This, for example, involves constructing physical barriers, enforcing strict legal measures, and increasing border patrols.

For Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Interior Bence Rétvári, illegal migration is a critical European task, referencing the economic migrants travelling through multiple safe countries to reach the EU without proper visas or permits.

These priorities reflect long-standing national policies that have often put the country at odds with broader EU views.

Hungary’s border protection measures have been criticised by other EU member states, with the EU Court ordering a €200 million fine over the country’s migration policy in June.

Instead, the Hungarians want to emphasise supporting traditional family models and addressing demographic challenges, said Kovács.

Though Bóka talked about “European security, defence, agriculture, cohesion, enlargement, migration and demographic challenges,” all of which the presidency will also focus on.

This concentration on family policies and demographic challenges is an extension of the Hungarian government’s domestic agenda, aimed at boosting population growth and reinforcing traditional family structures, which attracted a backlash from LGBTQIA+ organisations.

In the same vein, Euractiv already reported, that the health agenda will focus on addressing cardiovascular diseases, mental health, promoting organ donation, and improving the overall quality of healthcare services. This was also confirmed during one of the briefings.

Competitiveness and technology: Hungary’s economic vision

Hungary is aiming to foster economic growth and improve competitiveness within the EU. This includes addressing economic challenges and enhancing the EU’s competitive edge globally. Kovács called this a major challenge, with Hungary aspiring to have a charter on this matter by the end of the presidency.

The focus on competitiveness aligns with Hungary’s domestic agenda of economic development and attracting foreign investment.

Another official cited an example with the AI Act, comparing Australia’s swift investor support with the EU’s lengthy approval process, saying that such delays, which can exceed two years, hampers competitiveness in fast-evolving sectors like artificial intelligence.

[Edited by Aurélie Pugnet/Rajnish Singh]