Manfred Weber, European People's Party (EPP) candidate for the presidency of the European Commission, speaks at the EPP local and regional leaders' summit in Bucharest, Romania, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Cristian Cristel)
BUCHAREST, March 16 (Xinhua) -- All options are currently on the table as regards the future of Fidesz Party, said Manfred Weber, leader of the European People's Party (EPP) group, on Saturday.
Speaking at the EPP local and regional leaders' summit in Bucharest, Weber said that "the main message is that we are a party of values and common convictions, and this is the question that Hungarian friends must answer: whether or not they adhere to these principles."
"The last few days were not easy within the EPP family," said the chairman of the EPP group in the European Parliament, adding "we had formal requests to take action against our friends in Hungary."
According to Weber, he had met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Tuesday in Budapest, "we have discussed the issues we face."
The German politician stressed that the EPP is a party of values, fundamental principles, common convictions, and so "we have to guarantee that each party respects these values in its core program."
"That's why we are now in negotiations," in talks with all parties and all the parties in the PPE family are preparing for next week, he told the EPP meeting in Bucharest.
"For now, all options are on the table, but my goal is to prepare a position so that everyone in the party can agree," he said.
A growing number of EPP lawmakers have been calling for the exclusion of Hungary's ruling Fidesz Party from the largest bloc in the European Parliament, amid Orban's "anti-European behaviour".
On March 4, EPP President Joseph Daul announced the launch of a procedure which could lead to Fidesz being suspended or excluded from the party. The related motion will be debated by the EPP's Political Assembly on March 20.
