The President of the European Commission announced on Friday May 29 the release of 16 billion euros of funds frozen under Viktor Orbán, subject to reforms by the new Hungarian leader, Péter Magyar. “Your government is moving forward quickly and with determination,” greeted Ursula von der Leyen during a press conference in Brussels in the presence of the new Hungarian Prime Minister, praising the reforms undertaken for the benefit of “Hungary (…) and the European Union”.
Péter Magyar’s victory in the Hungarian elections in mid-April caused immense relief in Brussels, forced to deal for sixteen years with Viktor Orbán, a prime minister close to Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, who blocked a series of files, including that of Ukraine.
Barely elected, the forty-year-old was received with open arms by the heads of European institutions rejoicing at a “new impetus” in Europe. “It’s only been a few weeks but we already feel a strong wind of change blowing through Hungary,” greeted Ursula von der Leyen.
“The most important negotiations”
However, a crucial issue remained to be clarified between Budapest and Brussels. Namely the billions of euros of funds intended for Hungary and frozen by the EU. This money was blocked as part of various proceedings brought against Viktor Orbán’s policies, notably concerning the rights of LGBT+ people and asylum seekers, as well as situations of conflicts of interest.
His successor Péter Magyar had made the recovery of these funds an absolute priority and described the release of 16 billion euros on Friday as “historic”. “If every time I come here they give me this much money, I might come more often,” he said amid laughter.
The President of the European Commission specified that the release of this money depended on the adoption of reforms by the government of Péter Magyar. “We agreed on a solid framework to ensure that Hungary tackles issues related to corruption and the rule of law,” she said.
In a similar scenario, the EU had released billions of euros intended for Poland from the first pledges given by the government of pro-European Prime Minister Donald Tusk, in 2024.
Péter Magyar, whose party has a large majority in the Hungarian Parliament, has already initiated initial reforms. His camp voted on Wednesday to abandon former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s plan to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC). He also plans to join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office soon.
