EU leaders try to solve political fight blocking big budget

BRUSSELS (AP) — EU leaders will on Thursday try to find ways to resolve a diplomatic dispute with members Poland and Hungary to unlock a 1.8 trillion-euro ($2.1 trillion) budget and recovery package aimed at putting the economy back on track after the pandemic.

Several EU countries, including France, have already warned they don't expect the talks, initially planned to focus on the COVID-19 crisis, will settle the bloc's latest crisis.

The deal for the budget and recovery fund looked well on track to enter into force in January - until Hungary and Poland vetoed it this week. They objected to a new “rule-of-law mechanism” that would allow the bloc to deny funds to countries that violate democratic norms — something that both Poland and Hungary have been accused of doing for years.

The dispute risks delaying the rollout of funds that are urgently needed to weather the economic impact of a new wave of coronavirus infections that risks pushing the region into another recession.

“It is in the interest of everyone that we move quickly on this. People’s jobs depend on this,” EU commission vice-president Frans Timmermans said. “Our economic recovery depends on this. All that is being asked of member states is to respect the treaties they have signed and ratified. That’s it.”

Poland and Hungary say they vetoed the budget for 2021-2027 and the massive aid plan because they think the “rule-of-law” mechanism will be used as an ideological weapon to punish them.

In September, the EU’s executive commission said in its first report on adherence to the rule of law that democratic standards face big challenges in Hungary and Poland, noting threats to the judicial systems, anti-corruption frameworks and media freedom. The EU has opened legal procedures against the two countries over what it considers...