Hungary constitution vote raises concerns over rule of law: EU

(BRUSSELS) - A vote Monday by Hungary's parliament to approve controversial constitutional changes raises concerns over the rule of law and European democratic standards, the European Commission and the Council of Europe said.

"These amendments raise concerns with respect to the principle of the rule of law, EU law and Council of Europe standards," a joint statement said after parliament in Budapest passed amendments to curb the powers of the constitutional court and reintroduce measures rendered void by the court in recent months.

Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso and Council secretary general Thorbjorn Jagland noted that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had reassured them in a letter last Friday "of the full commitment of the Hungarian government and Parliament to European norms and values.

"In this sense, they expect that the Hungarian authorities will engage in bilateral contacts with the European institutions in order to address any concerns raised as to the compatibility of these amendments with European principles and EU law," the statement said.

It was unfortunate that experts from the two bodies had not had "the opportunity to discuss and clarify in detail the content of these amendments before their adoption."

Both the Commission and the Council of Europe, which groups 47 countries aiming to promote democracy and the rule of law, "will now make a detailed assessment of these amendments," the two men added.

Brussels warned earlier Monday that Hungary should live up to Europe's democratic norms, recalling Orban's "very positive" comments on Friday.

"Our job is to make sure that (the) EU laws that member states have signed up to, are complied with," said a spokeswoman for the Commission.

"We will not hesitate to use all the instruments at our disposal to make sure that member states comply with their obligations," she added.

There were large protests last week in Budapest over the vote known as the "fourth amendment."

Opponents claim the changes are part of a campaign to undercut and neutralise opposition to the government led by Orban's right-wing Fidesz party since 2010.

Brussels has clashed with Orban over a whole series of issues, including media freedom, control over the constitutional court and the central bank.