Several EU member countries demanded strong EU actions on Hungary after what they see as a rule of law backsliding, but Hungary has said political hysteria surround the meeting.
EU ministers meeting for a General Affairs Council in Brussels have begun a hearing on rule of law in Hungary under the framework of the EU's Article 7 process, as patience wears thin over recent legal initiatives in Budapest.
Viktor Orbán's government's self-styled "spring clean" includes a draft transparency law, targeting foreign-funded media and NGOs, and the ban on the Budapest Pride, which are among key concerns that set to be raised in the hearing.
Ahead of the meeting, 17 member states published a joint declaration denouncing the ban on Budapest's Pride march, claiming it violates EU law.
"We are highly alarmed by these developments which run contrary to the fundamental values and human dignity, freedom, equality, and respect for human rights, as laid down in Article 2 of the Treaty of the European Union," the declaration said.
The letter recalled that new Hungarian legislation allows fines to be imposed on participants and organisers of the Pride event and will also allow for the identification of participants with AI smart camera systems.