Bóka: EU must apply same funding rules to Poland as to Hungary

János Bóka, Hungary’s Minister for European Affairs, warned in an interview with Politico that if the European Union forced Hungary to repay 10 billion euros in EU funds, a similar procedure should also apply to Poland.

The Commission released 10 billion euros to Hungary in December 2023 despite reservations over the rule of law. This move drew criticism because it came ahead of an important negotiation on aid to Ukraine.

The Advocate General of the CJEU later recommended that the decision be annulled, which could result in the funds being returned.

Bóka believes that ‘if the Advocate General’s opinion is followed, the Commission will be legally obliged to freeze all EU money going to Poland, which I don’t think the Commission is willing to do in any case’.

In fact, the European Commission released 137 billion euros to Warsaw in 2024 in exchange for reforms to the judiciary, which, according to available information, have not been fully implemented. Bóka therefore believes that ‘the court will not issue any judgement that would put Poland in a difficult situation’.

Legal experts have noted that the cases of Poland and Hungary are based on different legal frameworks, but acknowledge that the court’s decision may set a precedent for future disbursements of European Union funds. The Commission continues to withhold a further 18 billion euros for Hungary.

(max)