Hungarian ministers in the EP
The hearing of the ministers of the new Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union is being held between 25-27 January in the committees of the European Parliament. During these hearings the ministers present the program of the Hungarian Presidency and answer the MEPs’ questions.
DAHR’s MEP Csaba Sógor, as member of the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) committees, addressed questions to Minister of Interior Sándor Pintér, Secretary of State for Social Inclusion Zoltán Balog, Secretary of State for Employment Sándor Czomba and Minister of National Resources Miklós Réthelyi.
The Hungarian MEP from Transylvania inquired whether the Hungarian Presidency considers Romania and Bulgaria ready to adopt the Schengen legislation and ensure the security of the Schengen Area. In his reply, Minister of Interior Sándor Pintér confirmed that the Hungarian Presidency asked for further details regarding the German and French reservations, although it supports the two countries’ accession. The accession is possible only after the fulfillment of the technical criteria: thus the Presidency suggested the compliance with the requirements on behalf of both countries. Otherwise, Bulgaria has committed itself to make up for the technical shortcomings by mid-March.
Csaba Sógor also enquired of the Minister about the means the Hungarian Presidency intends to employ to ensure that the adoption of the Council resolution establishing the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders (FRONTEX) will not be delayed any more. The MEP also asked if the Presidency considers the first deployment of the Rapid Border Intervention Teams in Greece to be appropriate and if further action is needed to stabilize the situation on the border between Greece and Turkey?
The MEP argued that the EU needs to show solidarity in the costly stabilization process. The Hungarian Minister of Interior stated that all member states support the Frontex-dossier, but could not provide a deadline for the decision although the Agency’s operativity has been proven in Greece through the 40% drop in illegal immigration registered in the two months since its Rapid Border Intervention Teams have been active in the area. Pintér declared that further negotiations are needed to determine the magnitude of financial effort needed to stabilize the situation.
The further questions of the Hungarian of MEP from Transylvania were based on the fact, that the current Presidency is held by a country where the civic sector is fragmented like in all former communist countries. This sector had an important role to play in the events of 1989 and contributed to the fulfillment of the acquis communautaire in all the member states. Even though, the governments of the new member states did not find funds to further support the activity of these organizations.
Csaba Sógor warned that these grass root organizations and representatives of local administrations find it hard to obtain the down payment for the EU grants even though such small amounts may seem banal from Brussels.
The MEP asked Secretary of State for Social Inclusion Zoltán Balog and Minister of National Resources Miklós Réthelyi about the measure the Hungarian Presidency intends to take in order to improve the conditions of accessing grants in the EU on the occasion of the European Year of Volunteering? Also, he inquired about the intentions of the Presidency regarding the Roma community with special regard to decreasing criminality, reviewing the issues and serving justice. Csaba Sógor pointed out the Romanian example of the 1990 pogrom in Tirgu Mures.
- The Hungarian Presidency sees the solution of the Roma issue in the EU framework – replied Secretary of State for Social Inclusion Zoltán Balog – from the point of view of human rights and the economy. It would result in a 4% rise in a country’s GDP if we were able to raise the level of employment within the Roma community to the regional levels of employment. The Roma programs will be strengthened through the involvement of the Roma themselves – this is why the Roma integration strategy has a special place in the EU 2020 program.
The Hungarian MEP from Transylvania inquired whether the Hungarian Presidency considers Romania and Bulgaria ready to adopt the Schengen legislation and ensure the security of the Schengen Area. In his reply, Minister of Interior Sándor Pintér confirmed that the Hungarian Presidency asked for further details regarding the German and French reservations, although it supports the two countries’ accession. The accession is possible only after the fulfillment of the technical criteria: thus the Presidency suggested the compliance with the requirements on behalf of both countries. Otherwise, Bulgaria has committed itself to make up for the technical shortcomings by mid-March.
Csaba Sógor also enquired of the Minister about the means the Hungarian Presidency intends to employ to ensure that the adoption of the Council resolution establishing the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders (FRONTEX) will not be delayed any more. The MEP also asked if the Presidency considers the first deployment of the Rapid Border Intervention Teams in Greece to be appropriate and if further action is needed to stabilize the situation on the border between Greece and Turkey?
The MEP argued that the EU needs to show solidarity in the costly stabilization process. The Hungarian Minister of Interior stated that all member states support the Frontex-dossier, but could not provide a deadline for the decision although the Agency’s operativity has been proven in Greece through the 40% drop in illegal immigration registered in the two months since its Rapid Border Intervention Teams have been active in the area. Pintér declared that further negotiations are needed to determine the magnitude of financial effort needed to stabilize the situation.
The further questions of the Hungarian of MEP from Transylvania were based on the fact, that the current Presidency is held by a country where the civic sector is fragmented like in all former communist countries. This sector had an important role to play in the events of 1989 and contributed to the fulfillment of the acquis communautaire in all the member states. Even though, the governments of the new member states did not find funds to further support the activity of these organizations.
Csaba Sógor warned that these grass root organizations and representatives of local administrations find it hard to obtain the down payment for the EU grants even though such small amounts may seem banal from Brussels.
The MEP asked Secretary of State for Social Inclusion Zoltán Balog and Minister of National Resources Miklós Réthelyi about the measure the Hungarian Presidency intends to take in order to improve the conditions of accessing grants in the EU on the occasion of the European Year of Volunteering? Also, he inquired about the intentions of the Presidency regarding the Roma community with special regard to decreasing criminality, reviewing the issues and serving justice. Csaba Sógor pointed out the Romanian example of the 1990 pogrom in Tirgu Mures.
- The Hungarian Presidency sees the solution of the Roma issue in the EU framework – replied Secretary of State for Social Inclusion Zoltán Balog – from the point of view of human rights and the economy. It would result in a 4% rise in a country’s GDP if we were able to raise the level of employment within the Roma community to the regional levels of employment. The Roma programs will be strengthened through the involvement of the Roma themselves – this is why the Roma integration strategy has a special place in the EU 2020 program.
