Hungary has speculated in the struggle with Brussels. Refusal to reform could deprive the country of most of its EU subsidies.
The pitcher goes to the well ’til it breaks: On Wednesday, the European Commission made the historic decision to say for the first time that a majority of EU subsidies to a member state should be blocked. The reforms promised by Hungary by November 19, which should restore the independence of the Hungarian judiciary and create measures against rampant corruption and nepotism, are insufficient, the commission summarizes in its 38-page written justification. There is still a threat of misuse of European taxpayers’ money in Orbán’s system. Biting postscript from the Commission: “This is made more difficult by concerns about administrative practices in Hungary.” Now the finance ministers of the EU have to decide by December 19 whether they follow this recommendation – and Hungary will be deprived of 13.3 billion euros.