EU faces internal struggle over Hungarian presidency boycott

According to Kathimerini's Pavlos Xanthoulis, the European Union is facing a delicate situation as it grapples with the Hungarian Presidency and the upcoming informal Council of Foreign Ministers, known as Gymnich, scheduled for August 28-29 in Budapest.

Josep Borrell, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, had initially planned an official "boycott" of Gymnich due to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's "pro-Russian moves" amidst Russia's aggressive actions in Ukraine. However, significant pushback from key member states, notably Germany and Italy, has emerged. These countries argue that boycotting any presidency, including Hungary's, could set a dangerous precedent for the EU.

Borrell is expected to present the issue to the EU Foreign Ministers at the Foreign Affairs Council, seeking to transfer the decision-making responsibility to the member states. The potential cancellation or postponement of Gymnich holds particular significance for Nicosia, as the Hungarian Presidency aims to discuss Euro-Turkish issues that Cyprus opposes without concurrent progress on the Cyprus settlement process. These issues include upgrading the Customs Union, resuming dialogue on an EU-Turkey Comprehensive Aviation Agreement, and facilitating European passport visas for Turkish nationals.

Budapest's intentions, discussed at high political levels with Ankara, are based on the EU summit conclusions from April 17-18. Despite the informal nature of Gymnich, the Cypriot government is wary of any progress on Euro-Turkish dossiers without addressing the Cyprus negotiations. Even if Gymnich is postponed, it only delays political discussions rather than halting the effort altogether. Nicosia hopes to use this time to advance the Cyprus negotiation process before the UN General Assembly in September.

The Hungarian Presidency's moves have not been well received in Nicosia, especially after Orbán's participation in the Summit of Turkish States in Azerbaijan, where the flag of the pseudo-state of Northern Cyprus was present.

Borrell's initial plan for a boycott had the support of most member states but faced backlash once leaked, being perceived as an official EU boycott of the Hungarian Presidency. Germany, supported by Italy, opposed setting such a precedent. This opposition has caused Borrell to reconsider his stance, with indications that he may not proceed with the boycott alone.

Meanwhile, the European Commission has decided to downgrade its participation in other informal Councils of the Hungarian Presidency, opting to send high-level technocrats instead of Commissioners to Budapest. This decision was made public two days before the European Parliament's vote on Ursula von der Leyen's re-election as Commission President.