Brussels: Hungary took over the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union on July 1 amid fears that longtime Prime Minister Viktor Orbán could use it to hold the bloc hostage.
LeadersB’s leaders and diplomats have years of experience working on migration and the rule of law, starting with Ukraine’s aid to Budapest’s right-wing government.
In his 14 years as prime minister, Orbán, a nationalist, has become an expert at playing hardball with Brussels – which critics call blackmail – and has repeatedly used his veto power to extract more money from the EU.
As individual EU member states fight for their own interests, they must put their politics aside to play a more neutral role when they assume the presidency.
The European Union resembles the leadership of the 27-member Council of Europe for “someone else’s dinner” and has limited powers.
But it saw him at the top of the country presiding over meetings, setting the agenda and leading negotiations.
“We will be the president as usual, we will be an honest broker,” said Hungarian Ambassador to the EU Balint Odor as he set out the EU’s priorities to improve economic competitiveness, strengthen the defense sector and fight illegal migration.
But the first signal from Hungary, the champion of “liberal liberal democracy” in Hungary, does not look positive.
“Make Europe great” as the president’s slogan, scoffed Budapest diplomats, suggesting that Orbán’s ally, former US President Donald Trump, is being pursued by Brussels ahead of November’s US elections.
