Hungary's political parties stand behind Orban in EU dispute

Viktor Orban during debate on Hungary at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on July 2nd, 2013.

Hungary's president Viktor Orban is fighting back against what he calls Soviet-style methods by the European Parliament that challenge his country's sovereignty.

Hungary's Parliament today (July 5) passed a resolution stating that European lawmakers "wantonly" set new criteria for Hungary and overstepped their authority. The resolution was backed by Orban's ruling Fidesz party and by two other parties, the Christian Democrats and Jobbik. It also said:

“We call on Hungary’s government not to yield to European Union pressure, not to allow the impairment of the country’s rights guaranteed by the basic treaty and to continue its policies of making Hungarian families’ lives easier.”

How the EU keeps member states in line

On Wednesday, The European Commission suspended 495 million euros in Cohesion Funds that were marked for Hungary, a decision based supposedly on the failure of the country to reduce its deficit.  Many suspect it is more of a punishment meant to bring Hungary into line with the leftist, pro-immigration and multi-cultural EU model. 

Orban replied that his country is being singled out unfairly, that the EU sanction is "unjust, employs double standards and abuses its power." The Hungarian resolution says the EU reaction is driven by business interests after Hungary hurt international energy companies by cutting household energy prices in January.

The United States and the United Nations have joined the EU in criticizing Orban.

Orban's populist policies unpopular with EU's leftist bureaucrats

On public radio, Orban said some of the European Parliament's recommendations violate the EU Treaty. "We don't want to live in a European empire that has its center in Brussels," and "they tell us what we should do on the peripheries."

He also said the "troops of bureaucrats" who have failed to resolve the economic crisis in Europe were now condemning Hungary which was on the road to recovery.

Orban indicated he expected further conflicts with Brussels because Hungary was under attack from leftist political opponents who are unhappy with the new big bank tax, and with the energy price cuts he initiated which force mostly foreign-owned utility firms to cut gas and electricity prices for Hungarian households.

Fidesz currently has a comfortable lead in opinion polls over its leftist opposition.