Budapest
Hungary’s incoming leader Péter Magyar has said he held “successful” talks with Ursula von der Leyen on unlocking billions of euros in suspended EU funding for Hungary.
The discussions focused on financial support that had been frozen by the European Commission due to concerns over rule of law and governance standards under the previous government. Hungary risks losing access to part of the funds if deadlines are not met, particularly money linked to post-pandemic recovery programmes.
Magyar said the meeting was “extremely constructive” and indicated that a political agreement could be finalised in the coming weeks. He suggested that Hungary’s new leadership would take steps to meet EU requirements in order to restore funding flows.
Von der Leyen also described the exchange as positive, noting that discussions covered the reforms needed for the release of the frozen resources. EU officials have previously linked disbursement of funds to legal and institutional changes aimed at strengthening transparency and judicial independence.
The issue is particularly urgent because some of the suspended money, including portions of the Recovery Fund, must be accessed within strict deadlines or it will be permanently lost.
Magyar’s party secured a strong parliamentary majority, giving it the ability to introduce constitutional and legal reforms required by Brussels. EU officials believe this could accelerate the process of unblocking funds if commitments are fulfilled.
The talks mark an early test of relations between Hungary’s new government and EU institutions, with both sides signalling willingness to cooperate while still navigating longstanding political differences.
