|
István Ujhelyi MEP, head of the Hungarian delegation in the S&D Group, added:
“What is happening now to the Central European University is more than a mere threat or an act of political vengeance. It is another step towards unbridled authoritarianism akin to that of Erdoğan or Putin, where independent institutions are shut down overnight. This is an act of cowardice, a disgraceful action that brings Orbán’s illiberal regime to a new, darker chapter. Furthermore, it sets a dangerous precedent that might jeopardize the operations of education institutions backed by the Hungarian government abroad.
“Clamping down on universities for political gain is surely not the “pro-European” approach what the EPP-ALDE coalition – counting Orbán within its ranks – supposedly champions. The EPP Group’s silence is a painful reminder that the European Parliament’s biggest group is unable to sanction one of its members even if our common European values are at stake. The transformation of a young democracy into illiberal authoritarianism is happening right under our nose, here in Europe. Whoever remains silent, whoever does not stand up for our shared values loses the right to position himself as a guardian of the democratic rights our union is built upon.”
|