Slovakia stands against stripping Hungary's EU voting rights, PM declares
Robert Fico, Prime Minister of Slovakia (Photo: Getty Images)
Slovakia will not allow the restriction of Hungary's rights within the European Union, particularly concerning the right to vote, states the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico.
"Regarding Hungary, that is, proposals and resolutions that even call for the withdrawal of the right to vote or other important possibilities that an EU member country possesses. If I become the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, I will never agree to punish a country for fighting for its sovereignty and national interests," Fico has said during a meeting with Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest.
The head of the Slovak government reminded that any such restriction requires the consent of all EU member countries.
He has called the initiative to deprive Hungary of the right to vote an "attack on the country." According to him, it supposedly contradicts the views on the importance of sovereignty and the protection of the national interests of individual EU member countries.
Background
On January 9, Member of the European Parliament Petri Sarvamaa initiated the collection of signatures to deprive Hungary of the right to vote in the EU Council.
In just four days, the MEP announced that the necessary number of signatures for the petition had been collected.
The European Parliament may consider such an initiative as early as this week.
It is worth noting that Hungary has repeatedly blocked decisions on EU assistance to Ukraine, including vetoing the provision of 50 billion euros to our country.
