Poland, Hungary to set up rule of law institute to counter Brussels

The two countries say they want to ensure they’re not treated unfairly under Brussels’ ‘double standards.’

Poland and Hungary plan to create a new institute to assess how the rule of law is being upheld across the EU, arguing they need to ensure their countries are not treated unfairly under what they describe as Brussels' "double standards."

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó at a joint press conference with his Polish counterpart Zbigniew Rau on Monday said "the aim of this institute of comparative law would be that we should not be taken for fools," according to national media. Szijjártó added he had “had enough of some Western European politicians using us as a punchbag."

"When Poland or Hungary have been attacked over the rule of law so far, those attacks had nothing to do with the rule of law. They were used as a mere means of extortion," Szijjártó said, adding that he does not think the EU's forthcoming report on the state of the rule of law will be "fact-based."

Naming one example of what he described as Brussels' double standards, Szijjártó said Poland was criticized for transforming its judicial system although Spain has "exactly the same" regulation.

"If something is good in Spain, then why is it bad in Poland?" he asked.