Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrives to attend a debate on the situation in Hungary at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, September 11, 2018. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler

STRASBOURG (Reuters) - The European Commission backed on Tuesday a European Parliament report condemning Hungary for abusing human rights and for the mistreatment of Roma communities, as EU lawmakers debated whether to impose sanctions on Budapest.

“Democracy in our member states in our European Union cannot exist without the rule of law and the respect of fundamental rights,” the EU executive’s First Vice-President Frans Timmermans told the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

“Sadly, the Commission shares the concerns expressed in the report, in particular as regards fundamental rights, corruption, the treatment of Roma and the independence of the judiciary,” he said.