Hungarian Erasmus students victims of yet another Orbán collision with Brussels

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  Kysia Hekster

  European Union correspondent

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  Tijn Sadee

  EU-correspond

In the ongoing political battle between the European Union and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, something very tangible is at stake for the first time: the cancellation of new Erasmus grants for Hungarian students. Students can get such a grant if they go to study in another European country, but the scheme is therefore under threat for Hungarians. Reason: the EU no longer wants to cooperate with Hungarian universities that have fallen into Orbán’s political grip.

It is Orbán’s umpteenth clash with Brussels, with the rule of law in Hungary at stake. According to the EU, this is being systematically eroded by Orbán and his governing party Fidesz. That is why the EU decided at the end of last year to temporarily suspend payments of European subsidy billions to Hungary.

Orbán must first eradicate corruption in Hungary. The country was recently categorized by Transparency International as the most corrupt country in the EU.

The increasingly strict EU action will hurt every Hungarian, say experts who have been critical of corruption and the breakdown of democracy in Hungary for years. At the same time, that warning sounded abstract: only corrupt politicians and entrepreneurs in and around Orbán’s clique would be affected, it seemed.

But with the suspension of funds to exclude Hungary from the student exchange program, the pain becomes concrete.
With an Erasmus grant, the crown jewel of European unification, all students in the European Union can study in another European city for six months. But Hungarian students are in danger of losing that right.

The majority of the universities in their country, 21 in total, have come into the hands of Prime Minister Orbán’s party in recent years. He transformed the universities into private institutions, led by foundation boards that included his political friends.
The universities have therefore lost their independence, says the EU, which is therefore suspending financial obligations such as Erasmus grants.

“I am a victim of this,” says Kinga Balázs in the refectory of Szeged University in southeastern Hungary. As a Spanish student, she was aiming for an Erasmus semester in Spain. “But that’s almost certainly not going to happen.”

Next to her is IT student Viktor Cselédes. He had already set his sights on Denmark. “But due to the political row around Erasmus, the cooperation and exchange between my university and the one in Copenhagen will probably end.”

“The right to an Erasmus grant is being taken away from us by our politicians,” says Kinga. “For years, Orbán has flouted all European values. And now he is being punished.”

There is great anger in the circles around Orbán about the EU decision. “This is blackmail,” said Gábor Szabó, head of the foundation board of the University of Szeged. Two politicians from Orbán’s party sit on its board. But Szabó denies that this puts his university on their leash.

In Brussels, he says, the Erasmus file is being misused to punish Orbán. “This must stop immediately. Don’t drag our students into this political battle.”

As far as Kinga is concerned, it is already too late for that. “And I completely agree with the position of the EU, by the way. Orbán must be tackled.”

It’s a mixed feeling, she admits. “As a student I am the victim. But as a people we have chosen Orbán. It is our own fault. And now we are all on the blisters.”

Last week, the Orbán government suddenly announced that all ministers would soon leave the foundation boards of the universities. But whether that will be enough to convince the EU to start paying out the funds for Erasmus again will not be known until this spring at the earliest. Hungarian students will only remain on board the Erasmus program once the full independence of universities is guaranteed again.

Student Viktor is pessimistic. “Orbán will never give in to Brussels. He just wants to ‘win’.”