The Hungarian parliament passed a law, after which the European Commission can unfreeze 10 billion for the country.
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The law ensures that court cases will be distributed electronically without human intervention. Unfreezing aid could help with Ukraine-related issues in the coming days, says RFE/RL Europe editor Rikard Jozwiak.
The political director of the Hungarian Prime Minister, Balazs Orban, announced his readiness to lift the veto on the current EU funding proposal for Ukraine in the amount of 50 billion euros if the EU unfreezes the 30 billion intended for Budapest.
The President of the European Council is confident that EU leaders will agree on Ukraine’s 50 billion macrofinancial plan, but it will be difficult.
Charles Michel noted that there is agreement from 26 of the 27 EU member countries. “At the same time, we have one country, Hungary, that expresses certain doubts and certain reluctance. We need to convince Hungary and we are working on this day and night to prepare this European Council. I hope we can do this,” he said in an interview with Radio Liberty.
Meanwhile, Viktor Orban responded to the leaders of the Hungarian communities in Ukraine: instead of EU membership, there is “another proposal.”
The Hungarian Prime Minister once again stated that he will block the start of relevant negotiations because “Ukraine is not ready to join the EU.”
Therefore, we will make a proposal that the European Union pursues the goal not of legally complex membership, but of a strategic partnership with Ukraine,” the Hungarian Prime Minister emphasized.
At the same time, Orban assured that he “will do everything in his power to protect the rights of the Hungarian community in Ukraine” and will continue to work “so that the Hungarian community in Ukraine can live in a peaceful, stable developing country.”
Recently, a video of an emotional conversation between the President of Ukraine and the Prime Minister of Hungary appeared online. After this, Zelensky said that the conversation was “as frank as possible” about “European affairs.”
Background
Budapest blocked a €50 billion program from the EU for 2024-2027, €20 billion in military aid, €500 million in ongoing military assistance in 2023 and the start of negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU.
Earlier, the media, in particular the Guardian, wrote that the EU was considering the possibility of unblocking funds for Hungary in order to obtain approval for further assistance to Ukraine and the start of membership negotiations with Kiev.
But the European Commission assured that the allocation of funds to Hungary is not related to the fact that it is blocking a decision on Ukraine at the upcoming EU summit on December 14-15.
Sources say that Budapest has indeed fulfilled the requirements agreed with the EC to reform the judicial system.
The Financial Times wrote on December 12 that the EU is considering the possibility of emergency funding for Ukraine bypassing the general budget due to Hungary’s position.
Source: Racurs
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