RT by @nvillumsen: Quick reminder to everyone who thinks it's absurd that the @EU_Commission unblocks €10B for Viktor Orbán a day after Hungary passed new laws targeting the opposition, NGOs, and the remainder of independent media: Sure, it's absurd, but let's not forget that the Commission never even had any serious reservations about Orbán's previous similar crackdowns in the first place.

No EU fund was frozen due to:

-the persecution of NGOs and smear campaigns against them, going as far as hiring Israeli private intelligence firms to conduct sting operations

-the distortion of Hungary's media industry through buying up and shutting down media outlets while creating a pro-government propaganda empire exempt from anti-trust scrutiny, or discriminating media outlets through channelling all state advertisements to pro-Orbán media companies

-the illegal surveillance, including with Pegasus spyware, of the opposition, political activists, lawyers, independent journalists, media company owners etc.

-the blackmailing and harassment of businessmen–both foreign and Hungarian–to sell their assets to pro-government proxies

-detaining anti-government activists and even opposition MPs

-government-controlled authorities' harassment of opposition parties, including huge fines that may well sabotage their next election campaign

-anti-LGBT laws and government-led hate campaigns against vulnerable minority groups

-the inhumane and unlawful treatment of asylum seekers and refugees.

And I could go on for much longer, but I think this was enough to make my case.

The EU never in the first place stepped up against the Orbán regime's most serious violations of rule of law and democracy. The particular issues they raised and eventually tied to blocking EU funds were just nuisances. It was always expected from the very beginning that these funds will be unblocked sooner or later, becau…

🐦🔗: https://nitter.cz/panyiszabolcs/status/1735026366976839954#m

[2023-12-13 19:58 UTC]