Big member states 'backing out of EU'

Big member states 'backing out of EU', warns Hungary FM
Published on 04-29-2009

There is a danger that large member states are about to "back out of the EU", Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Balázs told EurActiv Hungary in an interview. Balázs took office on 14 April as a member of new Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai's cabinet.

Balázs, who is a former EU commissioner, said that large member states were looking to "strengthen" the role of other institutions as alternative decision-making fora.

The foreign minister said Germany had been working "to seize economic institutions and to strengthen the G20" since 2007.

In line with views recently expressed by Belgian Foreign Minister Karel de Gucht (EurActiv 21/04/09), he argued that the aim of such actions was to leave smaller EU member states "behind", with larger members preferring to deal with states that have "similar influence and weight".

According to Balázs, for big member states, the problem with the EU is that its small members get a disproportionate opportunity to speak and influence the debate, "with no regard for their size". "Therefore Malta has an equal chance to speak as Germany," noted the Hungarian.

Source: Black listed news



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