Slovakia rejects stripping Hungary's voting rights; Fico: It's an attack on the country

Slovakia will not allow Hungary's rights to be restricted in the European Union, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said at a meeting with his counterpart Viktor Orban during a working visit to Hungary.

He considers the initiative to strip Hungary of its voting rights as an "attack on the country." This includes the right to vote, as cited by Sita.

In December 2023, the Financial Times, citing unnamed European officials, reported that EU member states might deprive Hungary of its voting rights to approve a €50 billion aid package to Ukraine for 2024-2027.

Fico stated that as long as he holds the position of Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, he "will never agree to punish a country for fighting for its sovereignty and national interests." He referred to the initiative of Finnish MEP Petri Sarvamaa, who gathered the necessary 120 votes from colleagues to strip Hungary of its voting rights in the EU Council.

The head of the Slovak government also reminded that any such restriction requires the consent of all EU member states.

Fico labeled the initiative to strip Hungary of its voting rights as an "attack on the country" and it supposedly contradicts the views on the importance of sovereignty and the protection of the national interests of individual EU member states.

Read also: Meloni, Orban to discuss Hungary's position on Ukraine in closed-door meeting – Bloomberg