European Commission wastes no time, meeting with Magyar just days after Hungarian elections

European Commission officials will meet with Péter Magyar's new team on Friday, as Brussels races against time to release EU funds that have been frozen during the current Orbán administration.

Magyar secured a landslide victory in last Sunday’s election, ending Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule. A key campaign promise was to restore Hungary’s ties with the EU and unlock billions of dollars in funds that had been frozen over concerns about the rule of law and corruption. Of the 27 billion euros earmarked for Hungary, 17 billion euros remain frozen.

"The clock is ticking on several topics, whether we are talking about the Ukraine loan, whether we are talking about EU funds for the Next Generation. It is in Hungary's interest, it is in the EU's interest, to make progress as quickly as possible," said Commission spokeswoman Paula Pinho.

The EU delegation will include experts from the budget and the Recovery and Resilience Fund (RRF) — the EU's post-Covid recovery fund. They are expected to provide technical assistance to the government team to help amend legislation in Hungary.

"There's a big menu to choose from and these are the first conversations. I'm not sure if we'll be able to cover everything," Pinho added.

The issue of recovery funds is particularly urgent: Hungary risks losing almost 10 billion euros if payments are not disbursed before the end of August.

On Monday, Hungary outlined a four-step plan to meet conditions for access to funds, including membership in the European Public Prosecutor's Office, restoring judicial independence and protecting academic freedom.

Magyar has spoken twice to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who pledged her support. Brussels' decision to send a delegation just five days after the vote is widely seen as a political signal in itself.

"There is urgent work to be done to reset, reorganize and reform," Ursula von der Leyen said in a social media post after her call with Magyar on Wednesday.

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