Brussels seeks to block funds for Budapest
The EU Commission has concluded that Hungary's reforms in the fight against corruption are inadequate and has consequently recommended freezing 7.5 billion euros in funding for Budapest. At the same time, it has spoken out in favour of adopting Hungary's Recovery and Resilience Plan, which is linked to the disbursement of 5.8 billion euros in Covid aid. Europe's press comments as the EU finance ministers get ready to vote on the two recommendations.
A sweet victory for democracy
Orbán will have to yield in the end because he's in hot water in other areas too, Deutschlandfunk predicts:
“Especially financially. The economy, in which he likes to intervene in a very hands-on manner, has slumped, and the country cannot afford the state's capping of fuel prices. Inflation is at 20 percent, and interest rates at 17 percent. The man has run out of money for bread and games. The EU will win this power struggle with Orbán; he's at a disadvantage. This will be a sweet victory. A victory for democracy and the rule of lawover authoritarianism.”
No room for false solidarity
When the finance ministers in the EU Council vote on the Commission's recommendation Bratislava should vote in favour, counsels Radovan Geist, editor-in-chief of the portal euractiv.sk, in Pravda:
“Unless Slovakia has serious grounds to distrust the Commission, it should vote according to the latter's recommendation and block European funds for the Hungarian government. There is no room for political deals. Nor for false Visegrád solidarity.”
Von der Leyen wants to avoid embarrassment
The Commission might have failed if it had adopted a tougher approach, observes Hvg:
“Hungary will not receive part of its funds, but another part has been prepared for transfer. This 'coupling' means that the European Commission's proposal has a good chance of standing up to the scrutiny of the member states. ... Orbán was relying on the fact that the Commission would want to avoid at all costs the embarrassment of one of its proposals on the rule of law and democracy getting stuck in the Council. For EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the Hungarian strategy seems to have worked.”
Hungary not so helpless
The EU Commission is facing a dilemma with Viktor Orbán because it doesn't want Hungary to veto its plans for a large aid package for Ukraine, Deník N notes:
“In addition to wanting to block funds for Hungary, the Commission also wants to give it money. At least that's how it seems. It recommended that Hungary's recovery plan be approved, thanks to which the country would receive money from the Covid recovery fund. ... Soon, financial aid for Ukraine to the tune of 18 billion euros will also be on the table. Orbán already announced a fortnight ago that he would not support this plan.”
Wild globalist left didn't get its way this time
The pro-government Magyar Nemzet views the Commission's proposal as a success:
“There is no doubt that we must meet certain obligations and additional conditions. However, it is undeniable that the clamorous demands of the wild globalist left that not only should Hungary's recovery plan be rejected, but that we should also say goodbye to further EU funds, have not been fulfilled. ... So let us appreciate the positive development of the European Commission resisting the blackmail of the European Parliament.”