FPÖ MEP Roman Haider sharply criticized the hearing of the designated Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, Olivér Várhelyi. Contrary to usual practice and through pure political arbitrariness, Várhelyi was sent to a second round. “This is a decision that was already made in advance of the hearing in an agreement between the European People’s Party and the Left and Liberals,” criticized Haider. Várhelyi was the only one of the 16 commissioners heard so far who did not receive immediate approval. “This illustrates the questionable game of the factions who are putting personal and political interests ahead of objective suitability,” said the liberal MEP.
Várhelyi was specifically branded as a “Fidesz commissioner” by left-wing and liberal MPs, with the expectation of supporting transgender and LGBTI rights as well as legal abortion rights. “However, he has not backed down and emphasized that he will focus on the health policy priorities that should promote the well-being of all citizens in the EU,” emphasized Haider.
He particularly criticized the political instrumentalization of this hearing by the majority left-wing factions, but also by the European People’s Party. “This farce shows the hypocrisy and arbitrariness with which the EPP, Renew, Greens and Left factions act, who apparently only want to get one over on the Hungarian government and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Such an approach is neither fair nor in the spirit of a functioning European Union that should address the real needs of its citizens,” concluded Haider.
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