Germany calls for the veto of EU member states in foreign affairs to be abolished

A pro-government author criticises German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas who has called for EU member states to lose their veto rights on international issues while agreeing with Prime Minister Orbán who staunchly opposes the proposal.

On Monday, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas urged the EU to deprive individual member states of their veto right in foreign affairs. Maas said that the EU cannot be ‘held hostage’ by individual member states. In a press release, Prime Minister Orbán criticized the idea, suggesting that the German Foreign Minister wants to punish Hungary for blocking the EU’s statements on Hong Kong and Israel earlier this year. Prime Minister Orbán said that such statements are ‘symbolic acts without any impact’ that ‘make the EU a laughing stock’. He added that the EU should stand for cooperation rather than helping to create another Cold War.

Magyar Nemzet’s László Szőcs agrees with PM Orbán that Heiko Maas wanted to send a message primarily to Hungary and reprimand it for not supporting the EU’s criticism of China and Israel. The pro-government columnist believes that by scrapping veto rights, the EU would make a huge leap toward the creation of a centralized United States of Europe and abandoning national sovereignty.

Tags: EU, foreign affairs, Germany, Maas, Orbán