EU brushes off results of Hungary’s national consultation on Russia sanctions

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest, Hungary, 21 December 2022. [EPA-EFE/SZILARD KOSZTICSAK]

The European Commission on Monday (16 January) dismissed the results of Hungary’s controversial government consultation on EU sanctions against Russia, which were released over the weekend.

According to the results of the month-long consultation, around 97% of respondents rejected multiple aspects of the EU’s sanctions policy, especially measures targeting energy.

97.5% of respondents said they are against EU sanctions on Russian oil, with some 97.6% opposing measures against imports of Russian gas and other resources.

The questionnaire was previously described as misleading by observers, due to labelling of the bloc’s punitive measures as “Brussels sanctions” or imposed by “Brussels leaders” while omitting the fact that they had been approved by all EU member states, including Hungary.

The European Commission has, however, noted the “very low participation of the consulted citizens”, EU’s lead foreign affairs spokesperson, Peter Stano, told reporters in Brussels.

Less than 1.4 million of Hungary’s 8.2 million registered voters took part in the consultation process running from 14 October to 15 December, according to official numbers.

Balázs Orbán, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s chief advisor, nonetheless said that the “results speak for themselves”.

“Brussels must review its sanctions policy and find a new strategy. We need peace, and not new sanctions,” the advisor added.

Hungary already in December played the option of EU leaders and the European Commission potentially evaluating the impact of the bloc’s Russia sanctions on individual member states, particularly in the context of the ongoing energy crisis.

Hungary to call for discussion on Russia sanctions impact

EU leaders and the European Commission should evaluate the impact of the bloc’s Russia sanctions on individual member states, particularly in the context of the ongoing energy crisis, according to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s chief adviser.

“Before we agree on the 10th or 11th package, we should sit down and have a serious discussion on the effects of sanctions,” advisor Orbán, who has no relation to the Hungarian premier, told EURACTIV, adding this should be done by the next EU summit.

“EU leaders should sit down, the European Commission should create an analysis on the effects of the sanctions,” Orbán continued.

Spokesperson Stano told reporters: “Member states are constantly reviewing the sanctions, seeing if we need to respond to further escalation by Russia in this illegal aggression against Ukraine and blatant violation of UN charter and international law,” Stano told reporters.

According to EU officials, it is unlikely that the EU executive would conduct fresh analysis purely in reaction to Budapest’s demand.

“When there will be a decision about the next package or amendment of existing packages, this will be a decision for 27 member states to make in unanimity,” Stano added.

So far, despite several efforts to water down the sanctions packages as well as remove certain persons and entities from the EU’s sanctions list, Hungary has not vetoed any of the previous sanctions rounds.

[Edited by Nathalie Weatherald]

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