Brussels has been locked in an ongoing dispute with both countries over controversial legal reforms which the EU claims endanger judicial independence. The bloc has consequently launched proceedings in accordance with Article 7 of the EU’s constitution, which could theoretically see both sides lose their European Council voting rights unless they back down.
Both Poland, led by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, of the Law and Justice Party, and Hungary, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, of Fidesz, have long argued Brussels is attempting to punish both nations for having elected right-of-centre governments.
Their claims were given added credence by a tweet by Dutch MEP Sophie in ’t Veld on Wednesday.
Ms in’t Veld, chairwoman of the European Parliament’s Rule of Law Monitoring Group (ROLMG), posted: “The issues with PL and HU governments are of a political, not legal nature.
“So a technocratic legal response will not solve the situation.
“A political response is required. As much as they try the EU Commission and EU Council cannot escape taking a stance.”
Law and Justice MP Radosław Fogiel, head of the party’s international office, told Express.co.uk: “It’s unfortunately no surprise and no secret that most of the actions against Poland and Hungary are based on political rather than factual grounds.
READ MORE: EU vaccine row: EU fails to use 41% of AZ jabs
Mr Fogiel, whose party is nevertheless committed to membership of the EU, warned: “The EU, as a union of member states, needs to respect their sovereignty.
“Not doing that would be a real threat to European solidarity and the very foundations of the Union.”
Separately, Ryszard Legutko, head of the PiS delegation and Co-Chairman of the ECR Group in the European Parliament, said: “We cannot accept the fact that the Left threatens national governments on a party political basis.
“Interfering in domestic politics of Member States goes far beyond Treaty provisions on the European Parliament and is actually undermining the foundations of honest cooperation between Member States and EU Institutions.
“This position only brings more division in Europe, which is unacceptable for us.”
Tamás Deutsch, head of the Fidesz delegation in the European Parliament, added: “In ‘t Veld’s statement confirms that the actual goal of the Left with the so called rule-of-law conditionality mechanism is not the protection of the Union’s financial interests, but the financial punishments of conservative governments.
“In the middle of Europe’s worst health and economic crisis, unity and solidarity should prevail over political witch-hunt.”
Hungary and Poland won separate tax disputes with the European Commission last week after the European Court of Justice ruled in their favour.
The court rejected the commission’s appeal of a lower court ruling upholding Hungary’s 2014 advertising tax.
Judges also concluded Poland’s lower tax rates for smaller retailers should not be regarded as illegal state aid.
