Hungary will have to fulfil so-called “super milestones” in order to access the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) funds, the European Commission’s spokesperson told a press briefing in Brussels on Tuesday.
Reforms must be fulfilled to get the money
In response to a question, Maciej Berestecki said the 27 super milestones that apply to Hungary are linked to breaches of the rule of law identified under the conditionality procedure. To unlock the funds, he said, Hungary needed to demonstrate that it can effectively protect the EU’s financial interests and that it has strengthened judicial independence, the Hungarian News Agency wrote.
While some milestones, including Hungary’s 2023 judicial reforms, have already been implemented, the EC would only be able to assess progress once Hungary submitted its payment requests, Berestecki said.
“The duration of the programme is quite clear, it’s defined by its legal basis, and it has to be concluded by the end of this year, and all milestones and targets have to be implemented by the end of August this year,” he said. “And it also applies to Hungary like to all other member states.”
If there is a will, there could be a way
Hungary, he added, could now submit a payment request for evaluation, or may also revise its economic recovery plan to streamline and preserve reforms and investments that were achievable by the August deadline. EU chief spokesperson Paula Pinho said this was “challenging” but “if there is a will there could be a way.”
“If Hungary wants to review and submit the revision of their plan, they have to do it as soon as possible, but we are ready to support it in this process,” Berestecki said. In response to another question, he said the deadline was “set in stone”. All payment requests must be submitted by September, with disbursements completed by the end of 2026, he added.
Péter Magyar, Ursula von der Leyen work closely: EUR 17.4 billion on stake
Meanwhile, Pinho confirmed that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Peter Magyar, Hungary’s prime minister-elect, had agreed to work closely together in the interests of both Hungary and the EU. The EC has already begun engaging with Magyar, while continuing cooperation with the outgoing government as needed, she said.
She said the EC welcomed Magyar’s pro-EU stance and alignment with several EU policy objectives, though acknowledged much work remained. “The first step will come from the new government itself, and we will be taking it from there,” she added.
EC spokesman Balázs Ujvári said around EUR 17 billion in EU funds remain frozen for Hungary, including 7.6 billion under cohesion policy and 10.4 billion from the RRF.
Top priority
Peter Magyar, leader of the Tisza Party, said on Tuesday that he had held another important phone call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “We agreed that unlocking the EU funds earmarked for the Hungarian people, but frozen due to the previous government’s corruption, is the top priority,” Magyar said on Facebook.
Referring to the results of the parliamentary election, he added that the Tisza government would now make the necessary political decisions in the interest of the Hungarian people, institutions and businesses, “in line with the clear mandate” received on 12 April.
“The President informed me that the Commission will work closely with us to meet the extremely tight deadline and deliver results, and so that the Hungarian people can access the EU development funds they are entitled to as soon as possible,” he added.
If you missed our previous articles concerning frozen EU funds:
- CNN highlights Hungary’s European Union-funded roundabout that goes to nowhere
- EU breaks silence on Hungary’s EUR 16 billion defence loan as approval remains pending
- Hungarian farmers unexpectedly get extra money from the European Union
Much of this is Hungary’s own money, which we had paid into the E.Useless’ budget. What a bunch of dirty thieves.
As for the “prerequisites,” they bray about the “rule of law,” but here’s what they want:
1. Remove energy subsidies so our energy bills will go through the roof. Instead of paying 10,000 Fts. per month for gas, we’ll be paying 100,000+.
2. That extra money will promptly be sent to Ukraine because PuTIn bAD.
3. Your local school will get a couple new overhead projectors while the hospital will get a shipment of new Crocs for the nurses.
4. In return, we’ll get 150,000 violent, illiterate young male Somalians, Nigerians, Moroccans, and Afghans roaming our streets, with predictable consequences.
The nincompoops who voted Tisza will soon feel buyer’s remorse and want Orban back, but “Peti” will have changed the Constitution so Orban cannot run again. He’ll also launch criminal and civil prosecutions against everyone on the Right who might pose a threat, in accordance with the playbook already implemented everywhere from Austria and Germany, to France, to Poland, to Romania, to Brazil.
You’ll whine about it all but will be thrown in prison for “hate speech.”
Good bye, Magyarorszag, hello Magyarstan… – in EVERY sense of the word.
Yes, Dear Michael – Bruxelles telling Hungary what Hungary must do, in order to attain Hungarian taxpayer money is beyond vile, absurd, and disgusting.
Worse, however, is that Magyar will be submissive, and worse yet ? : this is exactly what most of his voters want him to do!
Yet, lest I, an American, wax too morally superior in my judgements, I will point out that a very large proportion of my fellow Americans are equally without shame.
This is Modernity, in a nutshell : ‘Send me money so I can smoke dope, surf porn, go shopping for useless objects, and eat frozen dinners – without being disturbed by anything else.’
I am a Nigerian residing in Budapest and in response to the pedestrian remark of a certain Michael Steiner, I could only chuckle at his crass illiteracy and primitive turn of mind. Perhaps he might not have reckoned with the fact that many Nigerians are far more educated than he. According to available data, Nigerias are the most educated ethnic group in the United States, and aim to excel at education wherever they may be found-a fact which Michael Steiner’s pathetic, polemically porous white privilege could not wish away. You Michael Steiner is a footnote to civilized banter and many Nigerians, particularly, would rather sniff at your person.
Total propaganda BS.
You tell this story like Orban was a new born lamb and not a fat wolf…
While the EU needs a lot of change with record turnout the Hungarian people have voted and want a different path then the corrupt identity politics of the past.
@Areios…
It is objectively true that at least half, perhaps more, of those Hungarians who voted for Magyar are as you say : those who want nothing to do with a concept of being Hungarian and, as well, institutional corruption.
However, many Hungarians, at least a 1/3 of those who voted for Magyar (and former Fidesz voters) simply voted for him because they feel their country is stuck in what they regard as economic dysfunctionality, and they are desperate to find a way out.
In case you are stuck in a Leftist/Antifa Budapest echo chamber, I serve you with a formal a notice : if Magyar does not produce economically, he and Tisza will lose these ideologically unaffiliated voters, and, just as decisively as Fidesz as been kicked out, Magyar and Tisza will be out on their heels.
Even though I am thousands of miles away, the mindset of collective Hungarian Nation is incredibly clear to me.
That mentality?
Screw the ideologies, propaganda, and labels : give us functionality!
AI Mouton, we are still watching you. Watch out stupid bot 🤣🤣
I am a Nigerian residing in Budapest and in response to the pedestrian remark of a certain Michael Steiner, I could only chuckle at his crass illiteracy and primitive turn of mind. Perhaps he might not have reckoned with the fact that many Nigerians are far more educated than he. According to available data, Nigerias are the most educated ethnic group in the United States, and aim to excel at education wherever they may be found-a fact which Michael Steiner’s pathetic, polemically porous white privilege could not wish away. You Michael Steiner is a footnote to civilized banter and many Nigerians, particularly, would rather sniff at your person.
Stupid Steiner, you lost the elections. Still though assuming that your claimed white ass you can vote at all and you are not a simply annoying parasite 🤣🤣
All those nationalities you mentioned they are better than you, this is why you feel how stupid you are all the time. 🤣🤣🤣
Screw you again and again. Still better if your mother spent that night kissing than having a parasite like you. 🤣
4 years is a long time to be sat in front of a screen levelling accusations against an incoming government that hasn’t even yet been sworn in. Yet the mud slinging has already started.
I really don’t think anyone cares. The election is done and dusted, there’s nothing at stake any longer and with a 2/3 majority Tisza is the new kid on the block. Meanwhile, the expat community at whom this site is aimed at is overwhelmingly anti-Fidesz anyway so it’s pi**ing in the wind as far as I’m concerned. Medical advice is to go and touch grass.
Once the new bosses are sworn in and have manifestly screwed up, by all means comment away. Methinks they’ll do so merely by breathing however, so I expect the tsunami of hate to be present on day 1 of the new Tisza government.
At a time of such an enormous electoral failure introspection is advised. 2 days is insufficient time to analyse the reasons for the huge loss so a couple of weeks at a sanitorium may be benefical before outdated and discredited narratives are promoted. Pro tip: anyting anti-EU and pro-Russian is very passe and marks one out as a thoughless boomer.
Trademark of Brussels is blackmail
@ Michael Steiner
You are 100% correct, last Sunday was the end of Hungary, I have seen this happen in Western Europe over a few decades. The reason I came here was to escape the hordes of immigrants, better named by their true name, invaders. They bring nothing but violence and misery. This is a proven fact that all Hungarians will see and feel soon enough. And they will be put in luxury hotels with all the benefits that the working Hungarians do not have. They will get 3 times the money for free while hard working Hungarians get €800 per month. The so called war in Ukraine will cost countless billions more, just to satisfy the warmongers in Brussels, Putin is not the enemy, Brussels is! Having seen it all happen first-hand before I know what is coming and it will be brutal. The Hungarian children are the next victim, the rainbow creatures will be back with a vengeance. For those who voted for this … you truly have no idea what is coming. Let me close by addressing the prince of Nigeria here, we really do not need your kind here, violence and ignorance are just a few of your enrichments you will bring, and that statement is based on decades of personal experience. RIP Hungary, after all, the people have the leaders they deserve …