EU officials ‘raping the law’ – Orban

EU officials are “systematically raping the law” by planning to strip member states of veto powers over frozen Russian assets, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said.

The European Commission is due to vote later on Friday on a plan to invoke Article 122 of the EU treaties, an emergency clause that allows decisions to pass by qualified majority instead of requiring unanimous approval. The measure would let the bloc immobilize frozen Russian sovereign assets indefinitely and use the profits or interest to support Ukraine – even if some member states object.

“With today’s procedure, the Brusselians are abolishing the requirement of unanimity with a single stroke of the pen, which is clearly unlawful,” Orban wrote on X on Friday. “The rule of law in the European Union comes to an end, and Europe’s leaders are placing themselves above the rules. Instead of safeguarding compliance with the EU treaties, the European Commission is systematically raping European law.”

Orban accused EU “bureaucrats” and warmongers of pushing the move “to continue the war in Ukraine, a war that clearly isn’t winnable.”

“With this, the rule of law in the EU is being replaced by the rule of bureaucrats. In other words, a Brusselian dictatorship has taken hold,” he said. “Hungary protests this decision and will do everything in its power to restore a lawful order.”

Kiev’s Western backers froze about $300 billion in Russian central bank assets after the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022, with most of it held at Brussels-based Euroclear. A sharp dispute has emerged in recent weeks between European nations seeking to use the frozen funds as collateral for a ‘reparations loan’ for Kiev and those firmly opposed, citing legal and financial risks.

Invoking the emergency clause to freeze the assets indefinitely would strip opponents such as Hungary of their ability to veto a six-month renewal of the freeze. Under the plan, the freeze would remain in place until Russia pays post-conflict reparations to Ukraine and the EU decides there is no longer “an immediate threat” to its economic interests from potential legal retaliation.

Moscow has condemned any attempt to use its assets as illegal. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said this week that Moscow will retaliate against any expropriation, adding that “robbing” Russia is the last remaining option for Ukraine’s European backers to sustain Kiev in its conflict with Moscow.

Hungary has long argued against further aid to Kiev, with Orban comparing it to trying to “help an alcoholic by sending them another crate of vodka.” Budapest is not alone in opposing the ‘reparations loan’ scheme. Belgium, which holds most of the funds, has sharply criticized the plan, with Prime Minister Bart De Wever calling it tantamount to “stealing” Russian money. EU states are set to vote on the proposal at a summit next week.