German official slams Hungary for blocking EU criticism of China’s Hong Kong policy
- German Foreign Office State Secretary Miguel Berger said the EU’s common foreign and security policy was being undermined by a failure of unanimity
- Budapest blocked an EU statement in April denouncing Beijing’s new security law in Hong Kong
“Hungary again blocked an EU statement on Hong Kong. Three weeks ago it was on Middle East. Common foreign and security policy cannot work on the basis of a blocking policy,” German Foreign Office State Secretary Miguel Berger wrote on Twitter.
“We need a serious debate on ways to manage dissent, including qualified majority voting.”
Last month, Budapest refused to ratify a new EU trade and development accord with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, as well as declining to support an EU call for a ceasefire in violence between Israel and the Palestinians.
As part of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s quest to promote what he describes as traditional Christian family values, Budapest has also pushed against any use of the phrase “gender equality” in EU statements.
The European Commission on Friday declined to comment on the latest veto.