Orban defends rule of law in Hungary

(30 Sep 2019) Hungary's prime minister says he is nominating an experienced diplomat and "technocrat" for a place in the European Union Commission, the bloc's executive arm.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban made the announcement Monday after hosting his Finnish counterpart, Antti Rinne.
Orban named Oliver Varhelyi to replace Laszlo Trocsanyi, who was rejected as Hungary's nominee during vetting by the EU parliament's legal committee over concerns about possible conflicts of interest. Varhelyi has been Hungary's permanent representative to the EU since 2015.
Earlier, Orban said that Trocsanyi, a former justice minister and judge, was being punished for Hungary's unrelenting anti-immigrant policies.
Orban and Rinne, whose country holds the EU's rotating six-month presidency, also discussed proposals to link the bloc's financial framework to performance on the rule of law in member countries.
The issue is one of Finland's presidency priorities and has led to tensions, particularly with Hungary, which along with Poland is already a target of EU disciplinary actions for alleged violations of bloc rules and values.
"Rule of law in Hungary is not a matter of law but a matter of honour," Orban told reporters in Budapest. "So when they question or put into question the Hungarian rule of law, they are stepping on our honour. And I recommend that they think about this carefully."

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