Tisza Opens Talks With EU on Hungary’s Frozen Funds

Representatives of Hungary’s Tisza party and the incoming government held talks in Budapest with European Commission officials on the possible release of frozen EU funds, according to Politico. The meeting was also attended by Ursula von der Leyen’s chief of staff, Björn Seibert.

Discussions focused on steps needed to meet EU conditions tied to rule of law reforms. These include changes to public procurement rules, strengthening judicial independence and protecting academic freedom. Without meeting these conditions, Hungary cannot access around €17bn in EU funds.

The European Commission described the meeting as a first opportunity for practical discussions on the way forward, adding that further work would be needed to make progress on unblocking the funds.

The talks also covered support for Ukraine, including an EU loan vetoed by the previous Hungarian government.

Time is pressing, as €10bn of funds allocated to Hungary under the post-pandemic recovery program are due to expire at the end of August. The Commission has indicated it could release the first instalment of the EU loan to Ukraine at the end of May, provided the new government follows through on its commitment to override the veto.

(max)