There is no place for double standards in the Union’s enlargement policy

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Copenhagen criteria, the European Parliament voted on the future of the enlargement of the European Union at the plenary session of in Strasbourg on Wednesday. MEP Kinga Gál, the president of the Fidesz European Parliament group, emphasized that the same conditions must apply to all candidate countries during the accession process. The basis for this is provided by the Copenhagen criteria, from which no country’s accession process can be an exception, including Ukraine’s. The chairman of the delegation emphasized: it is outrageous that the report on the future of enlargement is being used again to exert pressure on the policy towards Hungary and to attack Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi.

Kinga Gál said: enlargement can be a key tool for strengthening the European Union, which is why it is seriously irresponsible and outrageous that the report on this is being used again to exert pressure on the policy towards Hungary. “The series of attacks on the person of Olivér Várhelyi serves as a political tool for the European left. The Enlargement Commissioner plays a key role in ensuring that the Union’s enlargement policy has regained momentum, he represents the official position of the European Union in his statements, and he consistently applies the conditions for democracy and the rule of law,” added the MEP of Fidesz.

Kinga Gál stated: during the enlargement process, the membership candidacy of the countries must be considered on the basis of the same values and conditions, which is also in the fundamental interest of the Union and all its member states. This is ensured by decision-making based on the Copenhagen criteria, from which no country’s accession process can be an exception, including Ukraine’s. “Ukraine does not meet these conditions, moreover, a state of Ukraine’s size and economic-political situation would have a serious impact on the absorption capacity of the community, as well as serious consequences for the economic situation of the European Union and its member states. This is not being discussed now, even though double standards have no place in the Union’s enlargement policy,” the politician pointed out.