The Budapest Times
The building of the European Parliament in Brussels – Photo: wikipedia

Navracsics: EU presidency can enhance Hungary’s standing

Written by BT/MTI
Hungary's upcoming EU presidency gives the country a platform on which to improve its standing in the European Union, Tibor Navracsics, the minister of public administration and regional development, said on Thursday, addressing an event held at the National University of Public Service.

Hungary’s presidency of the Council of the European Union taking place in the second half of the year will coincide with a change of the institutional cycle, and in light of the outcome of the June 9 European Parliament election, the new European Commission president is scheduled to be nominated at the end of June, with the new EP formed at the start of July, Navracsics noted. Further, commission candidate hearings will take place from September, and the new EC will be established on Nov 1, he added.

Janos Boka, the minister for European Union affairs, said Hungary would quickly “switch from campaign mode to presidency mode” and work with the EP and EC “right in the middle of the transition”, adding that its presidency would “act as a fair mediator”.

“They’ll look at us with a stern eye, but if we meet the rigorously controlled requirements, our room for manoeuver may grow,” he added.

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