Over the recent period, Hungary has made “important progress” towards reaching an agreement with the European Commission, Justice Minister Judit Varga said on Thursday. Meanwhile, GRECO, the Council of Europe’s body of experts on corruption, said in an interim report released on Thursday that Hungary has satisfactorily implemented several recommendations put forward earlier. However, it is still the greatest question whether Hungary could get the billions of euros of the so-called RRF fund before it is too late.
A lot of money at stake
A Hungarian journalist, János Reichert, shared a post on Facebook claiming, based on unnamed but independent sources, that the Hungarian government tried to get money from the International Monetary Fund. However, Orbán’s administration was rejected. He added that Hungary could only get financial support from the IMF if both PM Orbán and finance minister Varga resigned. Another solution could be the European Union and its Recovery and Resilience Facility, in which billions of euros wait for Hungary.
To cut a long story short, the European Commission does not want to pay a cent until the government convinces them that the money will not flow to Fidesz-close oligarchs. That is why Justice Minister Judit Varga is currently in Western Europe, having negotiations with several top European Commission officials.
On Thursday evening, the minister said on Facebook that over the last two days she had held intensive discussions with European Commission representatives. “We have consulted on specific issues and concrete commitments,” Varga said. It was agreed, she added, that the efficient and transparent use of EU funds is a common interest, for which Hungary is “ready to provide far-reaching guarantees”.
“Committed to mutually respectful dialogue”
“The Hungarian government is committed to mutually respectful dialogue and is working to ensure that Hungary and the Hungarian people have access to the resources they deserve,” she said.
Earlier that day she said that Europe’s success in future hinges on proper foresight and careful planning. Varga said that together with Maros Sefcovic, Commissioner for Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight, they reviewed key current challenges facing the EU.
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She added that enjoys good longstanding professional relations with Sefcovic, and she expressed thanks to the commissioner for “productive professional discussions”.
Meanwhile, Varga said the Hungarian government remained open to constructive dialogue with the European Commission.
She said on Facebook that she had also confirmed this during consultations with European Commissioner for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova. The government has submitted a comprehensive package of measures in a letter sent to the EC, with the aim of addressing all of the commission’s concerns, she added. Varga said it was a common goal that Hungary and the Hungarian people should get access to the resources they are eligible for.
Source: MTI, DNH
2 Comments
In simple terms, if you gave a builder the money to build a 5 room house and then find out that he has built a 2 room house and pocketed the difference in cost, would you trust this builder with more money to build another house? It was inevitable that the EU would notice vasts amounts of money that were being given to Hungary were simply “vanishing” while friends of the government were becoming suddenly very rich from EU funded government contracts. Contracts that the government refused to make public and so avoided proper scrutiny.
Concur – Post Modern.
This Government its ” Fingers in the Pie” – the pie, being the funds made available by the European Union.
The “checks & balances” – audit trail, and “other” factual knowledge, gained by the European Union, that has been, the practice of the Victor Orban, Fidesz Party led Government of Hungary, for an “extended” time period, posssible, the entire time, they have Governed Hungary 1998-2002 and 2010 to present, has been RIGHTFULLY exposed by the European Union.
Post Modern – explanation given, has been the Fidesz practice – the abuse & misappropriation of European Funding.
Hungary – April 2022, re-elected to office – Victor Orban & his Government.
2010 on – the evidance that was growing, in-side Hungary, of the abuse & misappropriation of European Union funding, by the Victor Orban led Government of Hungary, was mounting.
DID the oppostion Parties – National Elections 2022 – take advantage of this “Broadsheet” factual knowledge, this practice of abuse & misappropriation of European Union funding by Fidesz – NO.
Wealth- accumulated continual building of personal wealth, within the Fidesz Party, not just who we know as the “inner sanctum” – the Oligarchs, but “tiers” of influential members, who, having their “Fingers in the Pie” – flourished & prospered – financially – gaining and building additional POWER – for them-selves – their businesses, and the Fidesz “Dogma” – from “eating” the MASSIVE pie, – provided by the Fidesz Party, the “filling” in the pie – being FUNDING provided by the European Union, that was being used – abused & misappropriated, by and within the Fidesz Membership.
The question of FUTURE funding – from the European Union – needed at this “devastating ” – Financial & Economic “declining ” time – this Nadir trend, we are in Hungary – Contentious / Debatable.
Hungary – the European Union – transparent in what they require from Hungary – for the future of Membership and of Funding.
CAN Hungary comply and satisfy the European Union ?
The European Union – still wait for NUMBERS of Answers on “numerous” subjects from Hungary – not just the abuse & misappropriation of funding, but “other” critical questions – to determine Hungarys postion of Membership – its FUTURE, if their is to be one – in the FAMILY – of European Countries.
WHAT – is going to Save – Hungary ?