Orbán: Today's decision ends the rule of law in the European Union

"Brussels today is crossing the Rubicon. At noon, a written vote will be launched that will cause irreparable damage to the Union," Viktor Orbán wrote on Facebook in response to the European Union's attempt to freeze Russian assets indefinitely by qualified majority vote.

The EU on Thursday approved a legal mechanism that would permanently freeze 210 billion euros worth of Russian state assets in Europe, bypassing Hungary's veto. According to index.hu, the new legal mechanism abolishes current rules that require EU member states to unanimously approve sanctions every six months.

"With one stroke of the pen, Brussels is abolishing the unanimity requirement, in blatant contravention of the law," the Hungarian prime minister believes. He added that "with today's decision, the rule of law in the European Union is disappearing and European leaders are putting themselves above the rules".

The Eurocommission, he said, does not oversee compliance with the EU treaties, but "systematically rapes European law". The reason for this, according to Orbán, is the Union's desire to "continue the apparently unwinnable war in Ukraine".

The Hungarian leader promised that his country "will do everything to restore the rule of law".

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó on Friday described NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s remarks from Thursday as a “clear signal that everyone in Brussels has turned against the peace efforts of U.S. President Donald Trump,” in a post on Facebook.

Rutte said during a speech in Berlin that "we [NATO] are Russia's next target." Szijjártó sees this as proof that "in Brussels, all... common sense has failed".

"With this statement, the NATO Secretary General has practically stabbed the peace negotiations in the back," the minister believes.

Szijjártó, speaking on behalf of Hungary, rejected Rutte's remarks. "The security of European countries is not guaranteed by Ukraine, but by NATO itself! And Ukraine is fighting for itself, not for us. Such provocative statements are irresponsible and dangerous! We call on Mark Rutte to stop inciting war tensions!" concluded the diplomat.

(reuters, luc)