Don’t punish Britain, Hungary tells EU

HUNGARY last night broke ranks to heap praise on Theresa May’s Brexit vision and to warn Brussels it must drop any attempt to punish Britain in negotiations.

In a boost for the Prime Minister, the Eastern European member state rejected the claim by EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier that Mrs May is seeking to ‘cherry pick’ with her demand for a bespoke deal.

Zoltan Kovacs, Hungary’s public diplomacy secretary, said Brussels needs to recognise that its failings caused Brexit and that a good deal is in the EU’s interests too. The Hungarian also warned Mr Barnier and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker that EU member states hold the ultimate power in negotiations, not Eurocrats in Brussels.

Speaking on a visit to London, Mr Kovacs said Hungary and the UK are ‘on common ground’ over how Brexit negotiations should proceed in a pragmatic way. He said: ‘We really understand each other. We have always maintained that there will be different approaches to how Brexit negotiations should be done, but we believe a fair Brexit is the best solution that should come to everybody’s minds. Don’t think of punishing, especially if it is on behalf of Brussels. A good deal is in the interests of everyone.’

Mr Kovacs added: ‘The British Government has the right to do the best for its people. I don’t believe it is cherry-picking.’