Great news! European Commission to provide huge flood aid package to Hungary – UPDATED with PM Orbán’s comments
The announcement comes at a crucial time when several regions in Hungary are grappling with the aftermath of severe flooding.
Hungary is set to benefit from flexible measures introduced by the European Commission to address flood damage, a spokesperson confirmed on Monday, as reported by Telex. The EU’s president, Ursula von der Leyen, announced during a meeting in Wrocław, Poland, where she gathered with the prime ministers of Czechia, Poland, Austria, and Slovakia to discuss regional cooperation in disaster response.
The European Commission plans to make exceptions to several rules regarding the use of cohesion funds in flood-affected areas. These exceptions will allow funds to be utilised for pre-financing purposes and waive the requirement for public co-financing, which is typically necessary. Von der Leyen estimated that these measures could mobilise up to EUR 10 billion, providing a significant boost to recovery efforts in affected regions.
In addition to these measures, spokesperson Arianna Podesta confirmed that all affected member states, including Hungary, would be eligible for these facilitations, regardless of their representation in the meeting. Stefan de Keersmaecker, who oversees regional policy, noted that Hungary’s omission from the list of countries mentioned during the conference was merely due to the availability of damage data from those specific nations rather than any exclusion from the aid.
Flood aid: help for all EU countries
The European Commission’s response to the disaster also includes requests for assistance through the Civil Protection Mechanism, which enables the swift deployment of critical resources such as medical teams, search and rescue units, and various types of equipment to the hardest-hit areas. Additionally, a special solidarity fund has been established for disaster situations, further reinforcing the EU’s commitment to supporting its member states during crises.
Podesta emphasised that member states must adjust their existing programs to reallocate resources effectively for recovery efforts. The specific spending of catch-up funds will be detailed in operational programs that the Hungarian government agreed upon with the European Commission in December 2022. These programs outline how funds can be directed to address the immediate needs arising from the floods.
While the newly introduced measures do not provide additional funding, they aim to expedite the absorption of available resources and streamline the recovery process. The waiver of co-financing is expected to lessen the financial burden on national budgets, making it easier for Hungary to respond effectively to the challenges posed by the recent flooding.
De Keersmaecker stated that it would ultimately be up to the member states to determine their spending priorities based on damage assessments and the amounts still available.
“Member states themselves will have to do this exercise if they want to start this procedure,”
he explained. Working collaboratively with their respective governments, they will be tasked with determining the next steps based on the evolving situation and the specific needs of their communities.
UPDATE – Hungary news
Orbán’s comments
Regarding the EU flood aid, PM Viktor Orbán said that Hungarians can always rely on themselves:
“What we can solve, we have solved. These funds are like “the dog’s dinner” (nothing): if they are given, we thank them, but we do not count on them.
He did not answer how much money the government would draw from this envelope.
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Such a comments coming from a Prime minister. Now imagine what orban could say if putin would do the same: “our reliable partner” “the most rational man on earth” “the always reliable friend of Hungary” “welcome the Russian humanitarian aid” this government just makes me sick
REMEMBER – it is Victor Mihaly. Orban – and his Fidesz Government, that factually have sent us Hungary, to be IMPOUNDED in the Dog’s Yard of the European Union rightfully eating, with THANKS to Orban, what Dog’s are feed for there Dinner being SCRAPS or Left overs.
Hungary – the name Orban will see NO favours from the European Union.
A magyaroknak meg kell tanulniuk magukra hagyatkozni. Az EU által ígért források továbbra sem állnak rendelkezésre. Ez csak egy újabb szóbeli ígéret
Reading Orban’s great comment he seems to imply that he is a dog. I would say he behaves like the worst spolied teenager who takes the freely given money of his parents while cursing them.
Hungary should throw the money in the face of the Brussels’ parliament. EU parliament thinks Hungary is Judas and can be bought by a few pieces of silver. They can go to …..