Orban on offensive after EU takes legal action over Soros university

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Orbán on offensive after EU takes legal action over Soros university

PM in truculent mood as he rejects claims Hungary’s education
laws designed to close institution founded by US billionaire

Daniel Boffey in Brussels
Wednesday 26 April 2017 19.29 BST

Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s rightwing prime minister, has come out fighting against legal action launched by the EU because of his treatment of a university founded by George Soros, claiming Brussels was supporting a financial speculator who had destroyed the lives of millions of Europeans.

In combative performances addressing first the European parliament and then reporters, Orbán rejected claims that Hungary’s new higher education laws were designed to shut down the Budapest-based Central European University.

He said the argument between the EU and Hungary was a technical legal matter and that the root of the clash lay instead in a continuing row about his country’s refusal to take in its allocated number of refugees under a Brussels plan to deal with the migration crisis.

Orbán accused CEU founder of destroying the lives of millions of people, telling MEPs: “We are not as big and powerful as you are and as big and powerful as George Soros the American financial speculator attacking Hungary, who has destroyed the lives of millions of Europeans with his financial speculations, who has been fined for speculation in Hungary, and who is an open enemy of the euro.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/26/eu-launches-legal-action-against-hungary-higher-education-law-university

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. Hungary education law: Orban 'to meet EU demands'

Hungarian PM Viktor Orban will comply with EU demands over an education law that could close a top university, the EU's centre-right political group says.
...
The European Peoples Party [EPP] group, which includes Mr Orban's Fidesz party, summoned him to a meeting on the issue.

"Prime Minister Orban committed himself in the EPP council to follow and implement all the demands of the European Commission within the deadline set by the commission," said Siegfried Muresan, a spokesman for EPP President Joseph Daul.

Mr Orban, who has angered many in the EU with his hardline stance on asylum seekers, has not yet commented and a spokeswoman declined to say what he had told the meeting.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-39757962