As Poles and Hungarians, we urge the EU to stand firm on the rule of law | Máté Varga

Democracy is seriously under threat in our countries. The EU must stand up to the bullying tactics of Orban and Morawiecki

As European leaders gather in Brussels this week municipal buildings and monuments in Warsaw and Budapest have been lit up in blue. The illuminations, organised by campaign groups and the mayors of these cities, are meant as a powerful reminder of the dark path ahead if the EU stands aside while the rule of law is extinguished in Poland and Hungary. The lights are a call for solidarity with the millions of citizens of both countries who argue that EU funding should be conditional on their governments upholding these fundamental rights.

The release of 1.8tn in EU funds for rebuilding after the pandemic and the EU's 2021-2027 budget is at stake. So far agreement has been derailed by Hungary's Viktor Orban and Poland's Mateusz Morawiecki because of their unwillingness to accept that membership of the EU depends on upholding democratic values.