Stop sending EU money to corrupt autocrats who undermine the rule of law!

The rule of law is under great pressure in Europe. Governments in Poland and Hungary are tearing down democracy and taking away people's rights.

• Since the right-wing “Law and Justice” party came to power in Poland, it has systematically undermined the freedom of the justice system to the point that the courts no longer function independently from the government. The Polish government has attacked the rights of women, LGBTQI people, and many others.
• In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán built his power on corruption and favoritism. There is virtually no free media. Minority and refugee rights are violated in a systematic manner.

In recent years, similar attempts to threaten the free media or attack the judiciary have happened in Slovenia, Czech Republic, Romania, Greece and Malta.

This has to stop. Respect for fundamental rights is a key condition for EU membership . EU funds should benefit citizens, not corrupt leaders.

The European Commission - and President Ursula von der Leyen - need to fulfill their role as the guardian of the European treaties. The Commission is obliged to defend our European values of democracy and rule of law. But so far they have been reluctant to stand up to EU governments when these values are attacked. Authoritarian leaders across Europe continue to receive EU funding, without conditions attached. So long as the Commission refuses to act against the worst attacks on fundamental rights and the rule of law, no democracy in Europe will be safe from the threat of autocracy.

EU governments that do not respect the rule of law and democratic values should face financial consequences. Fighting misuse and corruption of the EU budget should be a top priority. We can only prevent Hungary and Poland from slipping further into autocracy if we stop EU funding to governments abusing the money to undermine the rule of law.

Europe needs to make clear that it is ready to defend fundamental rights for all EU citizens, in all EU countries.

Taxpayers' money must go straight to the people instead of ending up in the pockets of autocrats and their friends.

That is what we need Commission President Von der Leyen to do:

1. The European Commission immediately has to trigger the “Rule of Law conditionality mechanism” towards Poland to suspend EU funding as long as the Polish government undermines the rule of law and more specifically, the independence of the judiciary. In the case of Hungary, the Rule of Law conditionality mechanism should be applied more extensively in order to withhold large sums of EU-funds.
2. As long as concerns over rule of law issues and corruption remain, the European Commission should not give greenlight to the Covid recovery fund (RFF) plans of the Hungarian and Polish governments.

Please sign our petition now and show that European citizens demand a free and democratic European Union.

Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield - Daniel Freund - Terry Reintke - Tineke Strik - Ignazio Corrao - Rosa D'Amato - Sylwia Spurek
Greens/EFA Members of the European Parliament