A day before the EU summit on Ukraine, the European Commission released billions of dollars in funding for Hungary. After a “careful examination” and “several contacts” with the Hungarian government, the Commission came to the conclusion that Budapest fulfilled the conditions in the field of judicial independence, the Commission announced on Wednesday afternoon. The harsh criticism of the “kneeling” of Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, came from the European Parliament.
“This means that part of the cohesion policy payments are no longer blocked and Hungary can claim payments of up to 10.2 billion euros”, says the Commission statement. Observers consider the decision to be linked to efforts to dissuade Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán from vetoing the start of EU accession negotiations with Ukraine. EU heads of state and government wanted to discuss a corresponding proposal from the EU Commission at their summit on Thursday and Friday.
“A serious fall from grace on the part of the Commission”, said Green MEP Monika Vana, criticizing the “bow to Orbán”, whose attempts at blackmail failed. “By releasing EU funds to Victor Orban without complying with human rights standards, the Commission is selling out European values and destroying the EU's credibility. A scandalous and dangerous game by the “guardian of the treaties”, said the head of the Austrian Greens' indignant delegation.
The Commission's communication comes after the Hungarian Official Gazette published a change in the law that allows national 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 that Hungary receive the funds that were withheld due to problems with the rule of law. According to them, there was no longer any obstacle to the arrival of ten billion euros in Hungary.
Hungary called on Wednesday for the release of 30 billion euros in funding. Balázs Orbán, political director of right-wing nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (no relation to the Prime Minister), said, according to the Bloomberg agency, that Hungary would lift its veto on Ukraine in this case.
Hungary demands a “bailout”, commented the news portal Politico on Orbán’s statements. At the same time, the portal recalled that Ukraine's accession to the EU 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 gets what he wants, then he will continue to blackmail.” EPP leader Manfred Weber described Politico as a “traitor” of the Hungarian prime minister.