"We [the European Union] cannot take a step back," the EP President told Italian broadcaster Sky Tg24, according to a report by the Polish News Agency PAP.
In the interview, the official said that the agreement on the recovery fund, aimed at providing economic relief for the coronavirus-stricken block, will be kept despite the opposition by Warsaw and Budapest.
"Now, Poland and Hungary need to figure out the issue of their approval [for the fund ed.]. If there is no consent, we will proceed as regards both the fund and the rule of law," EP President Sassoli said on Saturday.
The recovery fund is part of a bigger package that includes a seven-year budget framework covering the years 2021-2027.
Warsaw, along with Budapest, has threatened to veto the bloc’s 2021-2027 budget over a new mechanism that would link access to EU funds with respect for the rule of law.
On Friday, spokesperson for the Polish government Piotr Müller said that Poland was keeping its stance on the proposed new mechanism.
(ał)
Source: PAP