The European Union restated that Hungary needs to significantly reform its judiciary towards a more independent system if the country wants access to the 15.4 billion euros of the EU’s COVID recovery fund.
The Vice President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency Věra Jourová affirmed the EU’s position after talks with a Hungarian delegation during the week. Jourova pointed at concrete steps that Hungary must make to move on with the issue. The laws Hungary needs to adopt should “strengthen the position of the judges” and push anti-corruption measures.
The Czech commissioner mentioned that time is running out for Hungary and that currently there is a “deficit of trust” with its government over the issue and over the use of EU funds. The central European country needs to comply with more than 20 reform milestones on judiciary, public procurement and corruption before the EU will green-light the funds.
Hungary prime minister Viktor Orbán spoke abrasive words on Saturday during a state of the nation speech, saying that Brussels is keeping European funds destined to Hungary with “deliberate ill will” and accusing the bloc of “nitpicking” about the rule of law.
Hungary should receive around 15.4 billion euros as part of the EU recovery fund, 5.8 billion euros in free grants and 9.6 billion euros in cheap loans. The European Commission put a deadline at the end of 2023 for member states to accessing the fund. Due to the ongoing fight on rule of law and the judiciary system, Budapest risks to not receive additional 7.5 billion euros from the annual EU budget.
