Under nationalist pressure, Bulgaria’s government looks set to oppose any move to deprive Hungary of its voting rights in the EU, due to fears of democratic backsliding.

Bulgaria’s government, led by Boyko Borissov, will soon draft a position opposing a pending vote to initiate the Article 7 process that could take away Hungary’s right to vote in the Council of the EU.

This was announced on Wednesday after the Council of Minsters met in Sofia and backed a motion by Defence Minister Krasimir Karakachanov, from the VMRO nationalists, to side with Hungary in any vote to activate the so-called “nuclear option” of taking away its voting rights.

The motion was backed by vice-Prime Minister and leader of the National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria, Valeri Simeonov, and by the nationalist-appointed Environment Minister, Neno Dimov.

“The Bulgarian government will defend Hungary! I have always protected the national interests of Bulgaria and I believe that each country in the Union has the right to uphold its national identity,” Karakachanov wrote on Facebook after the meeting, saying that the decision was unanimous.

The government’s senior coalition partner, GERB, has not yet commented on the decision, which comes a week after the European Parliament voted to up the pressure on Hungary.

More than two-thirds of MEPs backing a declaration that said Hungary was at “clear risk of serious breach” of EU core values, including judicial independence, academic freedom and freedom of expression.

Bulgarian MEPs were split. Eight of the 17 Bulgarian MEPs, including five from the European Popular Party, EPP, one from the Socialists and Democrats, S&D, and two from the Conservatives and Reformists group, ECR, opposed the motion. Five others abstained or skipped the vote.

Earlier this week, another nationalist fraction that is part of the United Patriots group in parliament, Ataka, issued a motion for parliament to push the Bulgarian government into backing Hungary’s leader, Viktor Orban.

Ataka’s call was endorsed both by the business party of Veselin Mareshki, Volya (“Will”), and by the Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP.

“It is wrong to sanction Hungary. This is another step in dividing Europe,” BSP leader Kornelia Ninova said on 14 September.

The Council of the EU has two options now. It can muster all 27 member states, apart from Hungary, to determine “the existence of a serious and persistent breach” in the European values in the country or, in a separate vote, block Hungary’s voting rights with a qualified majority.

However, this is highly unlikely, after Bulgaria joined other countries that have said they will not back the process.

Last Thursday, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said his government stood behind Hungary, according to a Reuters report. Poland, which is also facing an Article 7 process, has separately said it will back Hungary.

The other option is to muster four-fifths of the votes of the 27 members and decide there is a “clear risk of serious breach” of the values of the EU in Hungary – which will merly prolong the process and lead to more EU monitoring.

Source: Balkaninsight