The European Commission yesterday announced the release of 10.2 billion euros to Hungary in European funds because it considers that the country has fulfilled part of its commitments regarding judicial independence, after a year ago Brussels froze a total of 30 billion euros non-compliance with the rule of law.
Brussels froze several items that corresponded to the country a year ago. On the one hand, the cohesion funds for non-compliance with the Charter of Fundamental Rights, including the lack of judicial independence. “After a thorough analysis, and after several exchanges with the Hungarian government, the Commission considers that Hungary has taken the measures to which it had committed,” the Executive said in a statement.
At the same time, also on the same dates, Brussels froze another item destined for Hungary due to its failure to fight against conflicts of interest or corruption. For the Commission, however, there has not been sufficient progress in this regard. Thus, several programs linked to cohesion policy, and from which Hungary is one of the most beneficiaries, will continue to be blocked. In total, there are 6.3 billion euros.
Likewise, despite the fact that Brussels approved Hungary's recovery plan, it asked that in return it must meet 27 "supermilestones" to ensure "the financial interests of the Union." In total, there are 21,000 million euros of which nothing has been disbursed, because Brussels maintains that it has not fulfilled them either.
One of lime and another of sand for Orbán, barely 24 hours before a European summit begins in which the Magyar prime minister has already threatened to dynamite and reject the opening of negotiations with Ukraine; in addition to not supporting the reform of the European budget that includes an additional item of aid to Kyiv of 50,000 million euros. Orbán's spokesperson hinted in an interview on Bloomberg this week at the link between the unlocking of funds from Brussels and his green light for the budget.
