European Commission Accused of Blackmailing Hungary, Withholding Billions in Funds
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has accused the European Commission of blackmailing Hungary by withholding billions in frozen funds over concerns about the rule of law in the country.
Orbán made the statement during a press conference in Budapest, where he said that the European Commission is actively engaging in blackmail, which has been acknowledged by members of the European Parliament.
The long-standing dispute between Orbán’s government and Brussels has resulted in EU funds intended for Hungary being frozen over concerns about human rights and the rule of law.
Despite the European Commission recently unblocking €10.2 billion in frozen EU cohesion funds earmarked for Hungary, tensions remain high. The timing of the funding release, just a day before the European Council, has raised suspicions, with many EU politicians warning Brussels not to give in to what they perceive as blackmail from the Hungarian leader.
Orbán had threatened to block the start of Ukraine’s accession talks to the EU and a further aid package to Kyiv, but eventually allowed EU leaders to approve the start of negotiations for Ukraine to join the bloc. However, he is still blocking a €50 billion aid package for Kyiv, which is set to be discussed early next year.
The European Commission has denied that the timing of the funding release was coincidental, but the ongoing dispute between Hungary and Brussels continues to escalate as concerns about the allocation of EU funds and the rule of law persist.