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Members of the European Parliament are concerned by reports that the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, is trying to circumvent and undermine democratic reforms and the rule of law in the region. Thijs Reuten, Member of the European Parliament, announced this on Twitter and called on the European Commission to open an independent and impartial investigation to determine whether the behavior and policies implemented by the Commissioner constitute a violation of the Code of Conduct members of the European Commission. and the functions of the commissioner.
This is not the first time that MEPs have called for an investigation against the Hungarian commissioner. In January this year, they requested it because of Várhelyi’s influence in Bosnia and Herzegovina and his ties to Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik.
Katalin Cseh was among the MPs who called for an investigation, with whom we discussed the rule of law in the Western Balkans region and the influence of the Hungarian Prime Minister on the stabilocrats in the Western Balkans, during the Conference on Belgrade Security (BSC).
ISF: The EC has published reports for the Western Balkan countries. The general impression is that in the majority of World Bank countries there are too many problems, particularly in the area of rule of law and human rights. How do you assess the state of the rule of law in the region?
Katalin Cseh: Before I say anything else, I just want to make it very clear that enlargement must be a priority for the EU. We want the Western Balkan countries to be part of our family. We must provide them with a credible process, with realistic deadlines.
But unfortunately, there is a global trend toward democratic backsliding. Illiberal populists are gaining ground all over the world and the Western Balkans are one of the regions where there is a huge problem. The situation of human rights and the rule of law must be at the center of the enlargement process. It is very worrying that there is not enough progress in this area, despite years and years of negotiations.
I think that Commissioner Várhelyi should give this issue a higher priority. It is unacceptable to see people’s rights violated, judicial freedom destroyed, it is also unacceptable to see the mistreatment of journalists in these countries.
The European Union must be a club of democracies and we must provide enough aid to all countries that want to join our family because we are stronger together. But the requirements must also be there. And for Serbian citizens, it is a guarantee of the aforementioned rights, because this process is indeed a very effective way to obtain equal access to these rights. Safe standards of environmental protection, a stable country with a stable rule of law.
ISF: Many believe that Commissioner Varhelyi has a particularly pro-Serbian bias, due to the close relationship between Vučić and Orban. To what extent does this threaten the credibility of the EU in the region?
K.C.: There is currently a war between democracies and autocracies, and the EU must be a world leader in democracy. We must speak out very clearly on this issue and I think that the European Commission is unfortunately not doing enough.
And I fear that this will not serve the interests of the Serbian people either, because of course the goal of all Serbs to become a member of the EU is a very clear goal, but the conditions for membership must be met.
Throughout the process, Commissioner Várhelyi’s task is to defend those who are oppressed, to oppose rollbacks and to use the influence of the European Union to defend the rights of Serbian citizens in the process of membership. And I think the credibility of our Union as a whole depends on how we address these issues in the countries that are our strategic partners.
ISF: What do you think of the role of the Hungarian government in the electoral process in Bosnia and Herzegovina? Many believe that Hungarian citizens directly financed Milorad Dodik’s election campaign through the so-called “Hungarian Fund”.
K.C.: Orbán is losing his influence in the EU and is therefore trying to build his own team of illiberal leaders in the Balkans, which is a very dangerous game to play.
And regarding campaign finance, it is absolutely disconcerting that if an EU commissioner makes a statement about Hungary, he cries election interference while at the same time he has absolutely no problem with the makes Orbán practically finance Dodik’s election campaign with such a huge amount of money.
We are talking about millions of euros. He therefore applies double standards. He is playing Russian roulette with Hungarian taxpayers’ money. And he also plays into the hands of Vladimir Putin by contributing to the destabilization of the region.
ISF: How do you assess Hungary’s role in the EU enlargement process today? At a time when many countries are fed up with enlargement, Hungary is actively campaigning for faster accession, particularly for Serbia.
KC: I am a true supporter of EU enlargement in the European Parliament. But we have to ask ourselves a question: what should be the objective of the EU enlargement process? For me, this should mean more rights, more freedoms and more powers for every citizen in the Western Balkans. More opportunities to exercise their freedom of expression. More economic power for the people without corruption from the state.
Do you think Orbán supports this? I am not sure. He wants to expand his influence in the Western Balkans. And that’s why he interferes in questionable financing deals in our neighboring countries. That’s why he gets close to one of the nearby autocrats. In doing so, I don’t think he has the interests of Serbian citizens in mind, because of course Serbia must become a new member state, and we all share this commitment, but the protection of rights and values must go hand in hand. with the enlargement process.
And that is why it is very worrying that Mr Várhelyi sometimes seems to put Orbán’s agenda above the agenda of the European Commission which he should represent. He should speak out much more clearly on human rights, because the EU must be a community of values and freedoms. This is equally true for countries already members of the EU. Also for those who strive to be.
ISF: Do you think that alignment with EU foreign and security policy will become the focus of the negotiations? Is there a possibility that the rule of law will no longer be a priority?
KC: Well, the enlargement process has always been a powerful geopolitical tool of the EU. This is of course something that is as relevant today as ever, but as I have said before, enlargement should also aim to extend the values and rights of the people of the countries engaged in this process.
I believe that the rule of law and freedom must be an integral part of the process. However, I also hope that each country engaged in the enlargement process and benefiting from European development funds, for example the IPA funds, will also have to adhere to the European security policy. Geopolitical buy-in should therefore also be a prerequisite, but this does not mean that the rule of law and values are not equally important.
We really need to reform ourselves to be ready to meet the challenges of the 21st century. The way the system currently works is no longer effective. It’s slow, it’s inefficient, it’s bureaucratic, so everyone would benefit from reform. Every current and potential EU member state.
I also believe that all citizens who hope that democracies will win the war against other threats are interested in a more effective and sovereign European Union that exercises its geopolitics on the basis of the values they defend.
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