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Hungary, an anti-role model for successful EU integration?

ÖGfE Policy Briefs
October 22, 2021
By Christina Griessler and Fanni Elek

Policy Recommendations

1. The EU needs to clearly state that the countries of the Western Balkans should not follow the role model of Viktor Orbán’s “illiberal democracy”, as this can hamper their accession process. Moreover, the Western Balkan states need to openly reject the authoritarian-minded ideas.
2. Hungary, which several Western Balkan countries perceive as an honest broker, should closely collaborate with EU member states that have strong ties to the region (e.g. Slovenia and Croatia). Furthermore, this close cooperation should also include countries which are sceptical about a possible EU enlargement (e.g. the Netherlands and France) to overcome indifference. Eventually, the collaboration also needs a strong advocate with significant political weight within the European decision-making process (e.g. Germany).
3. The EU institutions have to stand up and defend their values. If the European Commission cannot keep its role as a guardian of the treaties, it will lose credibility, and it will further fuel resistance within the EU against the accession of the Western Balkans. The EU needs to considerably speed up its “rule of law mechanism” against Hungary and Poland, or the accession of the Western Balkan countries will recede in the distance.

Abstract

Already from around 2007 onwards the European Union’s (EU) enlargement process entered a severe crisis and attempts to overcome the deadlock have failed so far. The trust in the EU’s ability to move forward and enable the next enlargement of the countries of the Western Balkans has more or less vanished. Still, there are a number of EU member states actively pursuing the EU accession of the Western Balkans. Hungary is one of those countries. However, Hungary is in conflict with the EU, due to its reluctance to comply with the EU’s values and rules, especially regarding the rule of law. This Policy Brief will look at the issue of Hungary as a role model for the countries of the Western Balkans and how securing good bilateral relations to the Western Balkan countries supports its national interests. The questions are how did Hungary turn from a good pupil to a problem child, how the conflict within the EU shaped its image of a confident critique of the “old” EU and what impact Hungary’s role has on the Western Balkan states.