Spanish FM defends sanctions for EU countries violating values, criticizes veto

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares has called for sanctions against European Union member states that fail to uphold community values. He also urged an end to the veto system, which he argued obstructs progress within the bloc. Albares stated that while previous EU enlargements focused heavily on technical criteria like agricultural quotas and deficit levels, the importance of shared values was overlooked.

"As if you only had to respect our values the minute before joining, and then you could do whatever you wanted," Albares remarked during a debate in Vienna organized by the European Council of Foreign Relations. He emphasized that this situation is unsustainable and that the EU must dedicate equal effort to ensuring new member states adhere to community norms and values, backed by "real sanctions."

Albares also criticized the current decision-making process among the 27 member states, which is often paralyzed by the veto power held by individual countries. "We can no longer continue with the veto like this," he said, adding that he could accept a veto when a member state defends a national interest. However, he finds it unacceptable when the veto is used solely to impede the European Union's progress and its core values.

During the forum, Albares met with Hungary's new Foreign Minister Anita Orbán. Albares described their bilateral meeting as an effort to "reinforce the European project and its future." He expressed a commitment to working with the new Hungarian government for "a Europe of democratic values and sovereignty." Orbán, whose government took office in April after 12 years of Viktor Orbán's rule, stated that her presence at the forum demonstrated that "democracy works" in Hungary and that the country could "fight disinformation." She also noted that the recent election victory of conservative Peter Magyar indicated that Hungarians "voted for Europe."