It is a very dangerous misconception to see the EU as a democratic institution. It is not one at all. It cannot even be one. It is, in fact, nothing else than a club lead by Germany. It is only useful to enforce interests, nothing else. The ideological coat of paint is simply power politics, and as EU leaders are getting angrier and angrier because things are not going the way they want them to, they are paying less and less attention to formalities. They used to ask nicely at first, then they shouted in personal meetings, then they cried foul openly. We got to the point where they want to take away all the benefits of EU membership from Central European states and strengthen all its disadvantages.
Disproof
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative on the undemocratic EU and its dictate over the EU members. No evidence is presented about how the EU wants to take away the benefits of EU membership or strengthen its disadvantages. There is no proof either that Germany is leading it. Germany, while its opinion is influential in EU debate, cannot alone form a blocking majority in the Council of the European Union and German MEPs also cannot block or amend legislation in the EP without support from other delegations. Central European countries are themselves involved in EU decision-making in European institutions. The EU is a democratic Union of 27 Member States. The unique feature of the EU is that, although the Member States remain sovereign and independent states, they have decided to pool some of their 'sovereignty' in areas where it makes sense to work together. The decision-making structure in the EU is defined by the EU treaties. Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union ensures the principle of subsidiarity, which guarantees that decisions are taken as closely as possible to the citizen. Learn more here. See similar cases claiming that the EU is a neocolonial project, that the EU elections are a sham democratic “hullabaloo” for an undemocratic and exclusive EU, that EU is aggressive, and the EU continues the aggressive policies of Nazi Germany or a big number of European countries are under a new form of colonialism.