Hungarian Politics

[Crazy_Ivan80]

In favour of rapping Hungary on the knuckles (although I sincerely doubt it'll ever happen) but Ukraine membership in euro is way, way too premature. After all the shit Hungarians done surprised that's the straw for Denmark.

It's negotiations. These can go on for decades. Just ask the turks

[Tamas]

Indeed. As I mentioned, Ukraine's EU membership is the latest bogeyman BS that Orban is (trying to) feed to the masses. I suspect it doesn't really work that well anymore. Anyways, he is painting a picture where membership is imminent and that it'd destroy Hungarian agriculture and decimate EU funds arriving to Hungary (as if he hasn't made sure the country is missing out on those now, after 15 years of him stealing most of it).

I do wonder if perhaps the wiser strategy at this stage by EU -after financing the rise of a whole new, cleptocratic, massively rich aristocracy in Hungary- is to continue biding their time, suffocating Orban financially and politically as silently as possible so his PR machine has little to feed on.

Then once he has to very openly cheat next year to stay in power, swing into action and help Peter Magyar enforce the election results.

[HVC]

In favour of rapping Hungary on the knuckles (although I sincerely doubt it'll ever happen) but Ukraine membership in euro is way, way too premature. After all the shit Hungarians done surprised that's the straw for Denmark.

It's negotiations. These can go on for decades. Just ask the turks

Turkey won't ever be let in because they're Muslim. I could see Ukraine inducted early, though, through a misguided sense of unity. Not tomorrow or anything like that, but earlier then would be responsible.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

In favour of rapping Hungary on the knuckles (although I sincerely doubt it'll ever happen) but Ukraine membership in euro is way, way too premature. After all the shit Hungarians done surprised that's the straw for Denmark.

It's negotiations. These can go on for decades. Just ask the turks

Turkey won't ever be let in because they're Muslim.

one should hope that's the case.

[Sheilbh]

Turkey won't ever be let in because they're Muslim. I could see Ukraine inducted early, though, through a misguided sense of unity. Not tomorrow or anything like that, but earlier then would be responsible.

It's a challenge.

The EU absolutely wants to let Ukraine in as a priority and I think for good reason. In large part Ukrainians are literally dying for the idea of Europe.

On the other hand measured against the acquis Ukraine is nowhere near ready and won't be for some time (something of an irony in owning Orban by rushing the entry of a state with relatively weak democratic institutions, limited rule of law and entrench corruption...oh now ).

There are also points where I think Europe would need to change first too. Ukraine has a very big agriculture sector which would basically blow up current European agricultural policy. Obviously it depends on the outcome that leads to accession - and Russia has said NATO membership is a red line but EU membership isn't. But I think it would be challenging Europe would deal with accession for a country with possibly a frozen conflict or some legitimate goals to re-take territory without NATO membership or other security guarantee. There is a reason that in the EU's eastward expansion in the 2000s that EU membership follows NATO membership.

On the other hand if you want to pick an issue on which to have a fight wit Orban, or look to activating Article 7, then Ukraine is very, very good because it unites most other European governments and the European public is very pro-Ukraine.

[Jacob]

In favour of rapping Hungary on the knuckles (although I sincerely doubt it'll ever happen) but Ukraine membership in euro is way, way too premature. After all the shit Hungarians done surprised that's the straw for Denmark.

It's not necessarily that it's the last straw, it's still the first few days of Denmark holding the chair.