Viktor Orban cannot address one of the first plenary sessions of the European Parliament because he is the President of the Parliament “I couldn't find a place for this on the agenda.” – Euronews has learned.
It is customary for the Prime Minister of the Member State holding the rotating presidency of the European Council to speak in the European Parliament and present the programme for the six months of the presidency. In such cases, representatives may also put questions to the head of government concerned.
But now the Faction Leaders Council has failed to find a place for Viktor Orbán, who is running for the Hungarian presidency, on the agenda for the middle of next week, and Friday is not a good day for the Hungarian prime minister. Orbán reportedly indicated that he may appear before the plenary session next Tuesday or Wednesday (July 16 or 17) to present the Hungarian presidency program, the motto of which is: “Make Europe great again.”
The faction leaders' council that sets the agenda, the Conference of Presidents, has announced that unfortunately there is no place for this agenda item on the parliament's agenda. A Euronews source blamed the European Council for allowing the body that sets the agenda for the constituent sessions of the legislature to ignore the tradition of the EU presidency.
The source added that the new parliament is due to be formed on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the election of a president and 14 vice-presidents, and on Thursday there will be a vote on the return of Ursula von der Leyen as president of the European Commission. It could have stayed on Friday, but the spokesman also confirmed that Viktor Orban was not suitable.
The agenda for next week's plenary session will be finalized at a meeting of parliamentary faction leaders on Thursday (July 11). “There may be a last minute solution.” But according to the spokesperson, the Hungarian presidency is unlikely to be able to speak before September, the first source added.
