Irish PM slams Hungary’s “outrageous” vetoes, urges EU to take action

In a pointed rebuke of Hungary's recent actions within the European Union, Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin has called on the bloc to challenge what he described as an “unreasonable exploitation” of the veto mechanism by Budapest.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Euronews, Martin warned that continued abuse of the veto right could render the EU “unworkable,” Caliber.Az reports.

Martin’s remarks come amid growing frustration over Hungary’s repeated obstruction of key EU initiatives, particularly those concerning Ukraine. Most recently, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that Ukraine’s accession to the European Union would not proceed without Hungary’s consent, arguing that such a move could financially destabilize the bloc. In response, Martin labelled Orbán’s stance as “outrageous” and urged EU leaders to use all available tools to confront what he views as a systemic misuse of the veto power.

“For geopolitical reasons alone, Ukraine must be integrated into the European Union,” Martin said, emphasizing the strategic importance of enlargement amid heightened tensions on the bloc’s eastern flank.

The controversy over Hungary’s position on Ukraine’s EU membership comes as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen held high-level talks in Brussels with defence industry executives. The discussions focused on accelerating weapons production across the continent as the EU seeks to bolster its collective security capabilities in light of evolving global threats.

Meanwhile, concerns are mounting over the stagnation of digital literacy progress in Europe. After years of rapid advancement, the pace of improvement has dramatically slowed, particularly in southern and eastern European states where digital infrastructure and education programs lag behind their western counterparts. The European Commission has identified this trend as a critical challenge, warning that the digital divide could hamper the EU’s economic competitiveness and social cohesion.

By Vafa Guliyeva