Daniel Freund @daniel_freund@respublicae.eu

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the most corrupt of them all?

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/daniel_freund/status/1733142118099550704#m

[2023-12-08 15:10 UTC]

EU member states just approved an advance payment of 920 million Euros for Hungary.
Unbelievable.

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/daniel_freund/status/1733143945968828697#m

[2023-12-08 15:18 UTC]

How can the EU-Commission argue that Hungarian judiciary reforms are sufficient when the government is breaking one milestone in order to achieve the other? Background: The law needed for completing Super-milestone No. 215 (Removing obstacles to references for preliminary rulings to the ECJ) was “discussed” in the legislative committee (TAB) on Thursday and is expected to be voted by MPs on Monday. How does this allow for the consultation of the National Judicial Council - as prescribed by Milestone Nr. 213?

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/daniel_freund/status/1733147687166304530#m

[2023-12-08 15:33 UTC]

If you keep on giving Orban money,
he will keep on blackmailing you.
<p>
https://nitter.cz/eublogo/status/1733030068501328242#m
</p>

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/daniel_freund/status/1733054710750315002#m

[2023-12-08 09:23 UTC]

RT by @daniel_freund: .@EmmanuelMacron meets @PM_ViktorOrban for dinner at @Elysee this evening. What the hell is the French President thinking - given its highly, highly unlikely Orban will move? Quick thread after chats with senior French officials on Macron's thinking 1/

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/Mij_Europe/status/1732728344301424944#m

[2023-12-07 11:46 UTC]

RT by @daniel_freund: Orbán has veto power to block decisions that are absolutely vital for European security.
EU-27 have two options:
Agreeing fast to suspend Hungary’s membership rights (art 7) or give in to blackmail &amp; cut deals on funding Orbán.

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/thorstenbenner/status/1732741006871625896#m

[2023-12-07 12:37 UTC]

RT by @daniel_freund: Blokiert Orban die Ukrainehilfen der EU aus Überzeugung? https://t1p.de/or0kp

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/LadurnerUlrich/status/1732793225235009907#m

[2023-12-07 16:04 UTC]

Deal done on Financial Regulation!

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/daniel_freund/status/1732877350600052741#m

[2023-12-07 21:38 UTC]

Biggest threat to Hungarian minority in Ukraine?
- Putins bombs
Best way to protect Hungarian minority in Ukraine?
- Help Ukraine win the war
<p>
https://nitter.cz/liliebayer/status/1732689309872836657#m
</p>

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/daniel_freund/status/1732695394948161856#m

[2023-12-07 09:35 UTC]

One year ago, QATARGATE rocked the European Parliament. In light of a huge corruption scandal, promises were made, to make the Parliament more transparent, to improve integrity, to thwart undue influence. Have things improved since then? Not really. 🧵/1

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/daniel_freund/status/1732699421945602333#m

[2023-12-07 09:51 UTC]

R to @daniel_freund: So, what was actually done?
➡️President Metsola put up a 14-point-plan with some useful immediate measures.
➡️While many asked for an inquiry committee, that didn't happen. Instead the mandate of an existing committee (ING2) was extended, in order to deal with Qatargate /2

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/daniel_freund/status/1732701509605818389#m

[2023-12-07 10:00 UTC]

R to @daniel_freund: 12 months later, three useful measures have been implemented:
1⃣MEP meetings with 3rd country reps must be disclosed
2⃣MEPs must publish ALL lobby meetings
3⃣only registered lobbyists can organize events in EP venues

Doesn't sound like much. Well, it isn't. /3

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/daniel_freund/status/1732703495268991465#m

[2023-12-07 10:08 UTC]

R to @daniel_freund: Measures that have been rejected, watered down or still not enforced:
1⃣Asset declarations have been adopted - but they wont be enforced for almost another year
2⃣Still no independent control of lobbying rules
3⃣till no ban on MEPs accepting money from lobbying organisations /4

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/daniel_freund/status/1732707867671576628#m

[2023-12-07 10:25 UTC]

R to @daniel_freund: Why so little progress?
This has a lot to do with EP "Bureau". Bureau is a powerful structure - comprised of 14 Vice-Presidents + President. They can change or simply ignore majority decisions made by EP. /5

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/daniel_freund/status/1732708458607038904#m

[2023-12-07 10:27 UTC]

R to @daniel_freund: An alliance of right-wingers and conservatives has contributed, for example, to the weakening of whistleblower protection and the fact that the obligation to declare assets will only take effect in the next legislature. /6

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/daniel_freund/status/1732708541494940121#m

[2023-12-07 10:28 UTC]

R to @daniel_freund: But there was an "inquiry committee", right?
- Well, not really.
Numerous MEPs had called for a committee of inquiry after the scale of Qatargate became known. Instead, only an extension of the mandate for the existing Committee ING2 was granted. /7

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/daniel_freund/status/1732708881048969234#m

[2023-12-07 10:29 UTC]

R to @daniel_freund: However, the main thing that happened here was nothing. After just one meeting, a draft final report was presented. No witnesses were called, no documents were requested or inspected. Whether and how exactly parliamentary decisions were influenced remains unclear. /8

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/daniel_freund/status/1732709022292156477#m

[2023-12-07 10:29 UTC]

R to @daniel_freund: To date, the European Parliament has not implemented any measures that could prevent a second 'Qatargate'. There have been improvements in the area of lobbying transparency. However, these are not enough to curb the risk of bribery attempts from third countries. /9

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/daniel_freund/status/1732709645985460269#m

[2023-12-07 10:32 UTC]

R to @daniel_freund: Whenever truly effective measures have been introduced, they have been massively watered down, especially by the Conservatives. Significant corruption risks remain. We still do not know whether Qatar has successfully manipulated decisions of the European Parliament. /10

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/daniel_freund/status/1732709720094367802#m

[2023-12-07 10:32 UTC]

R to @daniel_freund: Recent reports suggest that Qatar's influence has affected many more areas than previously assumed. A key weakness in making transparency rules more effective is the lack of independent control. /11

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/daniel_freund/status/1732709832535220445#m

[2023-12-07 10:33 UTC]