Latest news with #EUvalues
News24
29-05-2025
- General
- News24
17 EU members alarmed over Hungary LGBTQ+ laws which violate ‘dignity, freedom, equality'
17 EU countries accuse Hungary of passing laws that target LGBTQ+ people. EU ministers are examining concerns that Hungary is at risk of breaching core EU values. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has repeatedly clashed with the EU and its member countries. Seventeen European Union countries accused Hungary on Tuesday of contravening fundamental EU values by passing laws that target LGBTQ+ people, as tensions deepen between Budapest and a majority of member states. Hungary's parliament passed legislation in March that creates a legal basis to ban Pride marches there and lets police use facial recognition cameras to identify people who attend. It also approved constitutional changes in April stipulating that Hungary recognises only two sexes, male and female. 'We are highly alarmed by these developments which run contrary to the fundamental values of human dignity, freedom, equality and respect for human rights,' the governments of the 17 countries said in a joint statement. They called on Hungary to revise the measures and asked the European Commission to make full use of its powers if Budapest does not do so. READ | Hungary spy network found working for Russia in Ukraine, say spooks The Commission can take legal action against member states if it believes they are violating EU law. The statement was backed by Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. Attila Kisbenedek/AFP The declaration came ahead of a hearing on Tuesday in a long-running process where EU ministers examine concerns that Hungary is at risk of breaching core EU values. The process could in theory lead to Hungary being stripped of its right to vote on EU decisions. But diplomats say there is not sufficient support among the 27 EU member states to take that step. Arriving at the meeting, Hungary's Minister for European Union Affairs Janos Boka said: 'There is no such thing in Hungary as a Pride ban'. 'I hope that after these discussions my colleagues around the table will walk out with a more nuanced view on the Hungarian legislation,' he said. But activists say the measures amount to a de-facto ban. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said that Pride organisers 'should not even bother' this year, while his chief of staff Gergely Gulyas has said Hungary 'does not have to tolerate Pride marching through downtown Budapest'. Orban, who has been in power since 2010, has repeatedly clashed with the EU and its member countries over democratic standards, minority rights and foreign policy. Critics have accused Orban of undermining the rule of law, which the Hungarian government denies. His ruling Fidesz party has said the Pride march could be considered harmful to children and that protecting them would supersede the right to assemble. European Commissioner Michael McGrath, who oversees democracy, justice and rule of law issues, said on Tuesday there were serious concerns about the situation in Hungary. 'Freedom of assembly is a fundamental right,' he told reporters. 'It is not a threat to children. It's not a threat to anyone, and it must be protected and upheld at all times, and so the Commission is examining all of its options,' he said.
BreakingNews.ie
27-05-2025
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Ireland and 16 other EU countries sound alarm over Hungary's gay pride ban
Ireland has accused Hungary of contravening fundamental EU values by passing laws that target LGBTQ+ people, as tensions deepen between Budapest and a majority of member states. Hungary's parliament passed legislation in March that creates a legal basis to ban Pride marches there and lets police use facial recognition cameras to identify people who attend. It also approved constitutional changes in April stipulating that Hungary recognises only two sexes, male and female. Advertisement "We are highly alarmed by these developments which run contrary to the fundamental values of human dignity, freedom, equality and respect for human rights," Ireland and the governments of 16 other EU countries said in a joint statement. They called on Hungary to revise the measures and asked the European Commission to make full use of its powers if Budapest does not do so. The Commission can take legal action against member states if it believes they are violating EU law. The statement was backed by Ireland, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. The declaration came ahead of a hearing on Tuesday in a long-running process where EU ministers examine concerns that Hungary is at risk of breaching core EU values. Advertisement The process could in theory lead to Hungary being stripped of its right to vote on EU decisions. But diplomats say there is not sufficient support among the 27 EU member states to take that step. Arriving at the meeting, Hungary's minister for European Union affairs Janos Boka said: "There is no such thing in Hungary as a Pride ban". "I hope that after these discussions my colleagues around the table will walk out with a more nuanced view on the Hungarian legislation," he said. But activists say the measures amount to a de-facto ban. Advertisement Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban has said Pride organisers "should not even bother" this year, while his chief of staff Gergely Gulyas has said Hungary "does not have to tolerate Pride marching through downtown Budapest". Orban, who has been in power since 2010, has repeatedly clashed with the EU and its member countries over democratic standards, minority rights and foreign policy. Critics have accused Orban of undermining the rule of law, which the Hungarian government denies. Ireland Viktor Orban criticises Taoiseach over Hungary com... Read More His ruling Fidesz party has said the Pride march could be considered harmful to children and that protecting them would supersede the right to assemble. European Commissioner Michael McGrath, who oversees democracy, justice and rule of law issues, said on Tuesday there were serious concerns about the situation in Hungary. "Freedom of assembly is a fundamental right," he told reporters. "It is not a threat to children. It's not a threat to anyone, and it must be protected and upheld at all times, and so the Commission is examining all of its options," he said.
Reuters
27-05-2025
- General
- Reuters
17 EU countries sound alarm over Hungarian LGBTQ+ laws
BRUSSELS, May 27 (Reuters) - Seventeen European Union countries accused Hungary on Tuesday of contravening fundamental EU values by passing laws that target LGBTQ+ people, as tensions deepen between Budapest and a majority of member states. Hungary's parliament passed legislation in March that creates a legal basis to ban Pride marches there and lets police use facial recognition cameras to identify people who attend. It also approved constitutional changes in April stipulating that Hungary recognises only two sexes, male and female. "We are highly alarmed by these developments which run contrary to the fundamental values of human dignity, freedom, equality and respect for human rights," the governments of the 17 countries said in a joint statement. They called on Hungary to revise the measures and asked the European Commission to make full use of its powers if Budapest does not do so. The Commission can take legal action against member states if it believes they are violating EU law. The statement was backed by Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. The declaration came ahead of a hearing on Tuesday in a long-running process where EU ministers examine concerns that Hungary is at risk of breaching core EU values. The process could in theory lead to Hungary being stripped of its right to vote on EU decisions. But diplomats say there is not sufficient support among the 27 EU member states to take that step. Arriving at the meeting, Hungary's Minister for European Union Affairs Janos Boka said: "There is no such thing in Hungary as a Pride ban". "I hope that after these discussions my colleagues around the table will walk out with a more nuanced view on the Hungarian legislation," he said. But activists say the measures amount to a de-facto ban. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said that Pride organisers "should not even bother" this year, while his chief of staff Gergely Gulyas has said Hungary "does not have to tolerate Pride marching through downtown Budapest". Orban, who has been in power since 2010, has repeatedly clashed with the EU and its member countries over democratic standards, minority rights and foreign policy. Critics have accused Orban of undermining the rule of law, which the Hungarian government denies. His ruling Fidesz party has said the Pride march could be considered harmful to children and that protecting them would supersede the right to assemble. European Commissioner Michael McGrath, who oversees democracy, justice and rule of law issues, said on Tuesday there were serious concerns about the situation in Hungary. "Freedom of assembly is a fundamental right," he told reporters. "It is not a threat to children. It's not a threat to anyone, and it must be protected and upheld at all times, and so the Commission is examining all of its options," he said.
Washington Post
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
The EU is weighing whether to deport migrants to countries they have no obvious connection to
BRUSSELS — The European Union is considering whether to deport migrants to countries they have no obvious connection to, in a drive to send away more people who are not permitted to stay. Rights groups say the 'safe third country' plans unveiled Tuesday contravene EU values and will burden poorer nations. Under the bloc's rules, people can be sent to countries deemed safe, but not to those where they face the risk of physical harm or persecution.
