Magyar heads to Brussels to unlock billions in EU funds

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar is embarking on a critical mission to Brussels, aiming to unblock roughly 10 billion euros in frozen European Union funds. His visit includes meetings with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and is focused on restoring relations between Budapest and Brussels before a crucial August deadline.

Magyar, whose Tisza party secured a decisive victory in the April parliamentary elections, unseating Viktor Orbán's nationalist government, has vowed to normalize Hungary's ties with the EU. A significant portion of his agenda involves securing the release of EU funds that have been frozen due to concerns over corruption and rule-of-law deficiencies. The upcoming meeting with von der Leyen is intended to establish a "political agreement" based on commitments Hungary must fulfill by the end of August to access the funds, with initial disbursements possible before the year's end.

The immediate priority is to secure access to 10.4 billion euros allocated to Hungary under the EU's post-COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). Hungary risks forfeiting this entire amount if it fails to meet the stipulated conditions by the August deadline. This package comprises 6.5 billion euros in grants and 3.9 billion euros in loans. The European Commission has previously urged Hungary to prioritize grants, citing the country's weak budgetary position. Budapest is currently revising its national recovery plan, which Magyar indicated in a recent interview would prioritize railway projects, energy infrastructure, and a rental housing program.

While Magyar expressed optimism about securing the funds, he acknowledged that Hungary might not access the full amount. "Our goal is to bring the 10.4 billion euros that are blocked for Hungary. I am not saying that we can bring 100 percent, but every eurocent that we can bring here is needed to kick-start the Hungarian economy," he stated. Sources familiar with the technical negotiations suggest a constructive dialogue between Hungary and the EU, but time is short, and Hungary's fiscal situation remains uncertain. Magyar is also scheduled to meet with Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

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Sutra ću se u Bruxellesu sastati s glavnim tajnikom NATO-a i belgijskim premijerom, a u petak s predsjednicom Komisije. Svi rade na vraćanju milijardi EU-a