>**Unblocking €13bn could secure Orbán support for EU budget top-up and assistance to Kyiv**
> The European Commission is preparing to release billions of euros in EU funds to Hungary currently frozen because of rule of law concerns, in a move that could secure Budapest’s support for an increase to the bloc’s budget and significant financial assistance to Ukraine.
>
> Releasing the funds, which have been frozen since last December, would mark a victory for prime minister Viktor Orbán, who has vowed not to agree to any increase in the EU budget until Hungary’s access to it is restored.
>
> The commission intends to unfreeze about €13bn in funding before the end of November, three officials briefed on the discussions told the FT. Two of those said the disbursement was partially informed by the desire to secure Orbán’s support for the budget increase.
>
> Last December, the EU froze €22bn in cohesion funds allocated to Hungary after deciding it was not complying with rules protecting human rights and the rule of law. Cohesion funds are designed to help less developed members of the 27-country bloc close the investment gap and improve their infrastructure.
>
> Hungary enacted judicial reforms in May in response to demands from Brussels — which would allow the commission to unlock €13bn, more than half of the frozen funding, the officials said on condition of anonymity.
>
> Stefan de Keersmaecker, a spokesman for the commission, said Brussels had written to the Hungarian government on September 26 seeking “clarifications” on some details of the reforms.
>
> “As soon as Hungary will have replied to these questions, the commission will continue its assessment,” he added.
>
> Progress on restoring Hungary’s access to the funds comes as Brussels seeks to win unanimous support for its increased budget before the end of the year, in particular to ensure continuing financial aid to Kyiv.
>
> Adding to the sense of urgency is the decision by the US Congress last week to jettison $6bn worth of aid for Ukraine in order to agree a new government funding bill.
>
> The commission has proposed a €66bn increase to the EU’s shared budget to cover increased costs, part of which would contribute to a €50bn financial support programme for Kyiv to help cover its costs for the next four years.
>
> Several capitals have objected to the size of the proposed increase, including Berlin. The budget top-up needs backing from all 27 member states who will be required to make additional contributions from their national budgets.
>
> Any decision to unblock payments to Budapest is likely to provoke condemnation from the European parliament, which has repeatedly demanded a harsh line against Orbán’s government. The parliament has no formal power to block payments to capitals, but it can hold up a potential agreement on the EU’s budget increase.
>
> A spokesman for Hungary’s ministry for EU affairs declined to comment when contacted by the FT.
>
Bad news… this idiot needs to stop getting away with that bs
Please don’t give our country more EU funds because a lot of it will land in the pockets of Orban and the other oligarchs.
Lovely blackmail going in there. Showing that blackmail works will surely lead to nothing bad, right?
DO NOT GIVE THEM ANY MONEY
This is why EU expansion has been a disaster. It should never have gone east of Berlin.
Hungary is just a deadweight – that 13 billion is stolen from our taxes, and could be used in our own countries.
Other countries will look at this and basically see their veto in areas can force the EU to back down.
not a great look for the EU but a win for Hungary as it will now receive a large amount of money, which even if some of it goes to the wrong hands, much will go to the right hands.
Good for Ukraine and the Hungarian population as a whole, bad for the EU.
7 comments
>**Unblocking €13bn could secure Orbán support for EU budget top-up and assistance to Kyiv**
> The European Commission is preparing to release billions of euros in EU funds to Hungary currently frozen because of rule of law concerns, in a move that could secure Budapest’s support for an increase to the bloc’s budget and significant financial assistance to Ukraine.
>
> Releasing the funds, which have been frozen since last December, would mark a victory for prime minister Viktor Orbán, who has vowed not to agree to any increase in the EU budget until Hungary’s access to it is restored.
>
> The commission intends to unfreeze about €13bn in funding before the end of November, three officials briefed on the discussions told the FT. Two of those said the disbursement was partially informed by the desire to secure Orbán’s support for the budget increase.
>
> Last December, the EU froze €22bn in cohesion funds allocated to Hungary after deciding it was not complying with rules protecting human rights and the rule of law. Cohesion funds are designed to help less developed members of the 27-country bloc close the investment gap and improve their infrastructure.
>
> Hungary enacted judicial reforms in May in response to demands from Brussels — which would allow the commission to unlock €13bn, more than half of the frozen funding, the officials said on condition of anonymity.
>
> Stefan de Keersmaecker, a spokesman for the commission, said Brussels had written to the Hungarian government on September 26 seeking “clarifications” on some details of the reforms.
>
> “As soon as Hungary will have replied to these questions, the commission will continue its assessment,” he added.
>
> Progress on restoring Hungary’s access to the funds comes as Brussels seeks to win unanimous support for its increased budget before the end of the year, in particular to ensure continuing financial aid to Kyiv.
>
> Adding to the sense of urgency is the decision by the US Congress last week to jettison $6bn worth of aid for Ukraine in order to agree a new government funding bill.
>
> The commission has proposed a €66bn increase to the EU’s shared budget to cover increased costs, part of which would contribute to a €50bn financial support programme for Kyiv to help cover its costs for the next four years.
>
> Several capitals have objected to the size of the proposed increase, including Berlin. The budget top-up needs backing from all 27 member states who will be required to make additional contributions from their national budgets.
>
> Any decision to unblock payments to Budapest is likely to provoke condemnation from the European parliament, which has repeatedly demanded a harsh line against Orbán’s government. The parliament has no formal power to block payments to capitals, but it can hold up a potential agreement on the EU’s budget increase.
>
> A spokesman for Hungary’s ministry for EU affairs declined to comment when contacted by the FT.
>
Bad news… this idiot needs to stop getting away with that bs
Please don’t give our country more EU funds because a lot of it will land in the pockets of Orban and the other oligarchs.
Lovely blackmail going in there. Showing that blackmail works will surely lead to nothing bad, right?
DO NOT GIVE THEM ANY MONEY
This is why EU expansion has been a disaster. It should never have gone east of Berlin.
Hungary is just a deadweight – that 13 billion is stolen from our taxes, and could be used in our own countries.
Other countries will look at this and basically see their veto in areas can force the EU to back down.
not a great look for the EU but a win for Hungary as it will now receive a large amount of money, which even if some of it goes to the wrong hands, much will go to the right hands.
Good for Ukraine and the Hungarian population as a whole, bad for the EU.