Hungary's new constitution violates EU values

Hungary's new constitution, which has met with hefty international criticism, came into effect at the start of the year. With a constitution that threatens the independence of the judiciary Budapest should not receive another cent of EU funding, the liberal-conservative daily The Times writes: "The interference in the justice system, including the dismissal of the former chief judge, a government right to choose which court should hear a case and a new state body to supervise the judicial system, return Hungary to the monopoly of power by the ruling party under which it suffered for more than 40 years. All this is incompatible with EU membership. This must be made bluntly plain to the new autocrats in Budapest. Hungary is currently demanding 20 billion euros in emergency EU help for its struggling economy. Not a cent should be paid while this disgraceful constitution remains in force."

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