Hungary receives a further 304 million euros in EU unemployment aid

Brussels, Belgium. Photo: MTI/AP/AFP pool/Francois Walschaerts

The European Commission on Tuesday said it has disbursed another 304 million euros in financial support to Hungary within the framework of its SURE unemployment scheme to help the country weather the coronavirus crisis.

The financial aid is part of a 504 million euro credit package approved for Hungary by the Council of the European Union in October last year, of which 200 million euros was disbursed in December, the commission noted in a statement.

SURE (Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency) aims to help member states cover costs directly related to financing short-time work schemes and other workplace preservation measures.

SURE could also finance some health-related measures, in particular at the workplace, to ensure a safe return to normal economic activity.

The EU has so far approved 90.3 billion euros in SURE financing for 18 member states.

As we wrote today, the governmental tourism agency (MTÜ) critised Brussels. The head of the Hungarian Tourism Agency Zoltán Guller said,

the European Union and “opposition local governments” had neglected to help out the industry. “All they do in Brussels is talk, but not a single step has been taken to support entrepreneurs,” he said.

Hungarian tourism agency: EU and opposition local governments had neglected to help out the sector

Magyar Nemzet on Tuesday afternoon said in its online edition that

the government has decided to disburse central wage subsidies to applicants in the catering and tourism industries in a simplified procedure at the beginning of the month.

The measure is aimed at saving jobs at businesses hit by pandemic related-restrictions which have until February 8 to submit their applications, the paper said.

In addition, the rules of accounting will change to the effect that the payment of the subsidised monthly wage to an employee and the actual fact of keeping them on the payroll will be inspected following the month for which the subsidy is disbursed, it said.