Even before Peter Magyar takes office as Hungary’s prime minister, he is looking to unlock €10 billion in EU funding ahead of an August deadline. Talks with Ursula von der Leyen come as part of a post-Orban EU reset.
It comes as he pushes to reboot Hungary’s ties with the EU, which took a major hit during Viktor Orban’s tenure.
What to expect from Magyar’s Brussels visit?
Magyar is looking to convince the bloc to unlock around €18 billion ($21 billion) in funding that had been frozen over rule-of-law concerns under his predecessor.
“There is no time to waste,” Magyar said in a statement.
When Magyar’s government takes charge next month, it would have only until the end of August to try and secure €10 billion left over from EU pandemic recovery funds, or lose them for good.
Magyar previously outlined four crucial areas where his Cabinet would push reforms to claim the EU cash:
Anti-corruption measures, which would entail joining the European Public Prosecutor’s Office
Restoring and bolstering the independence of the judiciary
Restoring media and academic freedoms
Resetting EU relations and economic policy
Hungary’s post-Orban EU reset
Orban — a close ally of Russia and US President Donald Trump — had locked horns with the European Union in a tense relationship that was marked by disputes over the rule of law in Hungary, a policy of vetoes of unanimous EU decisions, and most recently the country’s decision to block a €90 billion Ukraine loan package.
On April 12, Magyar’s centre-right Tisza party clinched a landslide victory, putting an end to Orban’s 16-year rule.
EU leaders had welcomed Magyar’s election win.
“Europe’s heart is beating stronger in Hungary tonight,” von der Leyen said on the night of the highly-anticipated polls.
She went on to say that Magyar’s win made the bloc “stronger, more united.”
Magyar is slated to take office next month. However, his team has already held two rounds of talks with high-ranking EU officials.
On Wednesday, Magyar will also meet European Council head Antonio Costa, who had said earlier that he looked forward to “close” cooperation with the new leader.
EU wants new Hungary policy towards Ukraine
EU leaders also hope that Magyar’s win will herald a new Hungarian approach on Ukraine.
Last week, the EU approved the €90 billion loan for Ukraine, along with a new package of sanctions on Russia that Budapest had stymied for months.
The bloc counterparts would want to see Hungary, under Magyar, free up EU funds used to arm Kyiv that have been stalled for years. They also expect him to lift Orban’s veto preventing Ukraine from moving on to the next step in its efforts to join the EU.
On Tuesday, Magyar announced that he would initiate a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in early June .
He proposed that the meeting would take place in the city of Berehove in western Ukraine — a region that borders Hungary and is home to some 80,000 ethnic Hungarians.
Edited by: Alex Berry
DW News
