The government submitted a proposal on Tuesday evening to amend certain laws necessary for accessing EU funds.
Bill submitted to secure EU funds
The proposal was submitted by Bálint Ruff, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office, with Minister of Justice Márta Görög serving as the rapporteur, the Hungarian news agency wrote.
The bill is specifically intended to ensure the timely fulfilment of the so-called “super milestones” related to the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility, and its adoption forms part of the implementation of the political agreement reached between Prime Minister Peter Magyar and the President of the European Commission, the text of the proposal said.
It is also stated that the bill is aimed exclusively at fulfilling the institutional and rule-of-law conditions related to accessing EU funds; the legislation does not address ideological or worldview issues, is not related to migration policy matters, and does not raise issues concerning Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.
Integrity Authority will become very powerful
The proposal tightens the rules on the submission and verification of asset declarations, it expands the powers of the Integrity Authority, provides for the dissolution of public-interest asset management foundations performing public functions, amends the Criminal Procedure Code to ensure strict action against corruption offenses, and enhances the transparency of certain payment transactions by amending relevant financial laws.
Furthermore, to ensure transparency in public procurement and the responsible management of public funds, the bill significantly expands the scope of entities required to publish information on the Central Public Data Registry platform and the range of data to be disclosed.
PM Péter Magyar talks about historic bill
The Prime Minister has pledged that the country could gain access to some 6,000 billion forints in EU support, alongside the introduction of stricter transparency and anti-corruption rules. He claimed that a political agreement with Brussels had been reached within three weeks, paving the way for funds to be channelled into transport, education, energy, and business development.
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The premier highlighted plans to strengthen the Integrity Authority, granting it meaningful powers to investigate corruption and oversee public procurement. In parallel, the asset declaration system is to be comprehensively overhauled: public figures will be required to give a more detailed account of their wealth and its origins, with deliberate misrepresentation punishable by up to two years’ imprisonment. Mr Magyar also pledged greater transparency for private equity funds and a review of public interest asset management foundations.
As part of the legislative package, the government intends to restore university autonomy and academic freedom. Mr Magyar said that the powers of university senates would be reinstated, potentially allowing Hungarian students to rejoin the Erasmus programme and researchers to regain access to Horizon funding. The Prime Minister framed the reforms as a means of ensuring that Hungarians receive the EU funds to which they are entitled, while fostering a more transparent and cleaner public life.
Historic Péter Magyar-von der Leyen agreement about EU funds
