Billionaire George Soros tries to block EU member plans to take power BACK from Brussels

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NGOs financed by George Soros have hit out at plans to reform the EU

A number of NGOs funded by the Hungarian-American Europhile business magnate have complained about proposals from four central European states to take power away from the bloc and hand it back to member states, a report by EuroActiv has revealed.

Leaders of the Visegrád group of Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic are thought to be drafting plans to minimise bureaucracy and regulations within the European Union which they believe does not benefit their countries.

Opposition to open borders, refugee quotas and a wish for more free trade and strengthened ties between the EU and the US are all issues believed to be being considered for the proposal.

Strengthening the sovereignty of member states will be harmful for the Polish position in Europe

Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz

The plan will be a joint addition to the Rome Declaration which will outline the future of the EU and will be released to mark the 60th anniversary of the creation of the bloc next month.

Despite no confirmed details of the proposals being released yet, NGOs funded by George Soros have spoken out about increased national sovereignty within the EU.

Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, director of the Open Europe Programme at the Stefan Batory Foundation in Poland, told EurActiv: “Strengthening the sovereignty of member states will be harmful for the Polish position in Europe.”

She said Poland has one of the weakest economies in the bloc so decreasing the role of supranational institutions will weaken the Polish bargaining strength.

The Stefan Batory Foundation was established by Mr Soros in the 1980s to support the development of an open, democratic society in Poland.

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Viktor Orban has spoken out about Mr Soros attempting to influence Hungarian politics

But Jarosław Kaczyński, chairman of Poland’s ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS), has been highly critical of the way the EU handled the migrant crisis, saying it risks the “liquidation of the civilisation that grew out of Christianity” in Europe.

He has also been outspoken about Brexit, saying it is an opportunity to push for treaty changes which will “strengthen the nation-states and reduce the jurisdiction of the Union”.

In Hungary, Róbert Csehi from the Soros-funded Central European University, defended the European Commission by saying they operate under strict rules.

He said: ““In most cases, the blame can be put on intergovernmental institutions and member states.

“Between 2010-2013 the euro crisis was thoroughly managed in the European Council and the Council, with only marginal contribution from the Commission.”

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Jarosław Kaczyński, chair of Poland's ruling party, has been outspoken about the migrant crisis

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Mr Soros is known for his love of the EU

He added if Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, known for his Eurosceptic views, is unhappy with the EU’s decision-making policy he should try to build a coalition within the European council and make a proposal for changing the EU treaty.

Late last year Mr Orban vowed to lead a “cultural counter-revolution” with Poland’s Mr Kaczyński to overhaul the EU.

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Speaking at a conference in September, said: “There is a saying in Hungary that if you trust somebody, we say ‘you can steal horses together’.

“There are a few stables, and one particularly large one called the EU, where we can steal horses with Hungarians.”

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• Viktor Orbán takes a swipe at George Soros in state address

On Monday the Hungarian Prime Minister hit out directly at Mr Soros during his state of the nation address as he warned NGOs funded by the Hungarian billionaire were trying to influence politics in countries with anti-globalist governments.

He said: “Here there are large predators swimming in the water and this is the transnational empire of George Soros.”

Hungary’s foreign minister Péter Szijjártó last month spoke out against Mr Soros, saying it was “very clear he would like this government to fail, he would like to kind of ‘fire’ this government because he doesn’t like our approach, doesn’t like our policies – but it’s not George Soros who has to make that decision, it’s the Hungarian people. We find it very anti-democratic”.

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