Parliament’s Budgetary Control committee will send a fact-finding delegation to Budapest from 15-17 May to look into the ongoing issues with the protection of EU budget.
A delegation of six Members, led by chair of Budgetary Control Committee Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, Germany), will look into ongoing issues with the protection of the EU budget in Hungary and the ongoing negotiations in connection of triggering the rule of law conditionality mechanism. Members also want to get first-hand information on the control systems and procedures in place to manage the recovery and resilience funding.
“Fact-finding missions are an essential part of the work of the Budgetary Control Committee. Our visit to Hungary will give us the opportunity to look into issues related to the protection of EU funding and directly ask questions to those handling it”, said Ms Hohlmeier ahead of the visit.
She referred to the allegations of manipulated tenders and corruption related to awarding EU funds, notified by the EU Commission, and stressed that the delegation wants to engage with all those involved in management of the EU money, as well as journalists, NGOs and civil society, who “play an important role in highlighting matters on the ground”.
“I would like to stress that our committee is genuinely interested in seeing the processes to disburse European funds to Hungarian citizens in a fair and just manner and I count on the reciprocity of our Hungarian counter-parts to answer questions and clarify concerns. We, as Members of the European Parliament, want funds to reach citizens and companies, but in order for that to happen, adequate control systems and procedures must be ensured”, she concluded.
The MEPs are to meet the Minister for Regional Development Tibor Navracsics, State Secretary for European Union affairs of the Ministry of Justice János Bóka and the President of the State Audit Office László Windisch. MEPs will also meet with representatives from the Directorate General for Audit of EU funds, the National Tax and Customs Administration, as well as with the Head of the new Hungarian Integrity Authority Ferenc Bíró.
They will meet their counterparts in the Hungarian National Assembly from the standing committees on Justice, Economics, European Affairs and the Budget. MEPs will also meet with Budapest mayor Gergely Karácsony and the Association of Hungarian Municipalities.
Finally, the delegation also plans a meeting with investigative journalists, NGOs and civil society representatives, as well as members of the business community.
The members of the delegation are: Ms Monika HOHLMEIER (EPP, Germany) – Head of delegation, Mr Petri SARVAMAA (EPP, Finland), Ms Lara WOLTERS (S&D, The Netherlands), Mr Daniel FREUND (Greens/EFA, Germany), and accompanying members: Ms Katalin CSEH (Renew, Hungary) and Mr Sandor RONAI (S&D, Hungary). MEPs are also joined by the Member of European Court of Auditors Ms Annemie TURTELBOOM and observers from the European Commission.
