ALDE-PACE News
Controversial constitutional reform in Hungary: ALDE calls on taking measures
14.01.2012 In 1990 Hungary opened the era of accession of former communist countries to the Council of Europe. Its membership was a symbol of trust and hope for a successful, sustainable democratic transformation. Hungary has thus committed itself to fully respect the European Convention on Human Rights and the Statute of the Council of Europe. It is therefore with even greater bitterness that we have to acknowledge that something has decidedly gone wrong with one of yesterday's best students of democracy.
The constitutional reform that has recently come into force, as well as clear unwillingness of the Orban government to respond to voices of concern coming from different European organisations, has already raised serious doubts as to the conformity of the country to the European standards of democracy, human rights and rule of law.
The ALDE calls on the relevant Council of Europe bodies, including the Secretary General, the Committee of Ministers, the Parliamentary Assembly and the Commissioner for Human Rights to address this situation without delay.
Last January the Monitoring Committee of the PACE was seized with a report on the opening of a monitoring procedure regarding Hungary. The ALDE considers the monitoring procedure as a suitable mechanism at the Assembly's disposal to help Hungary get back on the democratic track.
The ALDE hopes that the European Union institutions will take immediate action to ensure that Hungary fully respects the EU regulations.
Finally, the ALDE calls on the Hungarian government to fully cooperate with the State's partners, as no international mechanism will be fully efficient unless the Orban's government wishes to find a way out of the deadlock and preserve Hungary and the whole Europe from a moral crisis.
Anne Brasseur
Added on 14-01-2012
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