Hungary’s push for Erasmus, Horizon access: Minister accuses Brussels of blocking youth and researchers

Hungarian youth and researchers “are entitled” to access the European Union’s Erasmus and Horizon programmes, the minister of culture and innovation told public news channel M1 on Wednesday evening.

Balázs Hankó insisted that Brussels’ aim was “to consciously hinder Hungarian researchers and youth.”

Regarding the legislation amendments Hungarian universities run by foundations, Hankó said the European Commission “is not telling the truth” when they deny receiving the amendments.

The government sent the amendment proposals to Brussels a year ago, he said. The minister noted that he had had a number of talks on the topic in Brussels since; “last time, I talked to two representatives of the Commission on October 25, whom I gave the amendment so they can give an opinion.”

“It is not true that Brussels didn’t know about the proposal,” Hankó said.

The government adopted three of the EC’s five recommendations, regarding conflicts of interest of university foundations’ board members, the term of board membership, and the time elapsing before they can become members of the board after a conflict of interest.

At the same time, the government rejected recommendations to “exclude Hungarian professors and rectors from the boards and to allow foreign NGOs to nominate board members.”

Hungary’s parliament has adopted the amendments with the condition that it would come into force “once Brussels had allowed Hungarian youth back into the Erasmus programme, and researchers into Horizon”, he said.

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