The European Commission recommended refraining from financing Hungary in the amount of €7.5 billion due to problems with the rule of law.
Euronews writes about it.
Thus, Budapest had until November 19 to adopt 17 reforms, which were agreed upon with the EU executive in the summer, in order to avoid freezing money.
"Despite the fact that a number of reforms have been implemented or are in the process of being implemented, Hungary has not been able to adequately implement the main aspects of the required 17 remedial measures as it has committed to. As a result, the Commission decided to maintain its original proposal of 18 September: to suspend 65% of commitments under three operational programs within the cohesion policy amounting to €7.5 billion," the Commission stated.
The reforms that Hungary had to implement include 17 steps to improve the situation in the field of the rule of law, as well as reforms to strengthen the independence of the judicial system, new rules for auditing and reporting on EU funds.
- On September 16, the European Parliament adopted a resolution stating that Hungary under the leadership of Viktor Orbán has become a "hybrid regime of electoral autocracy." Hungary can no longer be considered a democracy, and European values are under systemic threat.
- On September 20, Hungary submitted the first anti-corruption bill in order not to lose the €7.5 billion from the EU.