Kovacs: EU withholding funds ‘over LGBTQ rights, migration’
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has "admitted" that the EU has withheld funds from Hungary "with regard to LGBTQ rights and migration", the state secretary in charge of international communication said on Facebook on Wednesday.
“Brussels is trying to blackmail us to accept their LGBTQ and migration rules,” Zoltan Kovacs said, suggesting that the EU was “abusing” its powers over community funds.
Kovacs quoted von der Leyen as saying in the European Parliament earlier in the day that some 20 billion euros for Hungary would stay frozen due to issues around gay rights, the freedom of higher education, and concerns about refugee rights.
Kovacs said it was “ironic” that gay rights and migration policy, as well as the freedom of higher education and research were national competencies . “areas in which the EU has no power whatsoever.” “There will be no compromise over those two issues,” he added.
