After a “careful examination” and “several contacts” with the Hungarian government, the Commission came to the conclusion that Budapest had met the conditions in the area of judicial independence, the Commission announced on Wednesday afternoon.
“This means that part of cohesion policy payments is no longer blocked and Hungary can claim payments worth up to 10.2 billion euros,” it said. Observers see the decision as having a connection with efforts to dissuade Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán from vetoing the start of EU accession negotiations with Ukraine. The EU heads of state and government wanted to discuss a corresponding proposal from the EU Commission at their summit on Thursday and Friday.
“Serious fall from grace”
“A serious fall from grace on the part of the Commission,” said Green MEP Monika Vana, criticizing the “bowing down to Orbán” whose attempts at blackmail had been succumbed to. “By releasing EU funds to Victor Orban without meeting human rights standards, the Commission is selling out European values and destroying the EU’s credibility. An outrageous and dangerous game of the “guardian of the treaties,” said the head of the Austrian Greens’ delegation indignantly.
Ten billion euros for Hungary
The Commission’s communication comes after the Hungarian Official Journal published a change in the law allowing domestic judges to request preliminary rulings from the European Court of Justice without restrictions. Hungarian media reported that it was the European Commission’s final condition for Hungary to receive the funds that had been withheld due to problems with the rule of law. According to them, there was no longer any obstacle to the ten billion euros coming to Hungary.
Veto should be withdrawn
Hungary called for the release of 30 billion euros in funding on Wednesday. Balázs Orbán, political director of the right-wing nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (no relative of the prime minister), said, according to the Bloomberg agency, that Hungary would withdraw its veto against Ukraine in this case.
Hungary is demanding a “ransom,” the news portal Politico commented on Orbán’s statements. The portal also recalled that Ukraine’s EU membership continues to represent a “red line” for the Hungarian government, which would only recommend a strategic partnership to Kiev. Several MEPs also describe Hungary’s demand as “blackmail”. According to the news portal “hvg.hu”, Iratxe Garcia, Social Democratic leader in the EU Parliament, said: “If Viktor Orbán achieves what he wants, then he will continue to blackmail.” EPP leader Manfred Weber described Politico as “traitors” to the Hungarian prime minister.
