Hungary's Magyar seeks EU funds deal 'next week' in Brussels

Published on 19/05/2026 - 11:47 GMT+2

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar said Tuesday helium hopes to motion a governmental statement with the European Commission “next week” connected the merchandise of EU funds that had been frozen during the erstwhile government.

"Both sides volition bash everything they tin to guarantee that adjacent week, erstwhile I question to Brussels, we tin motion the governmental statement betwixt the Hungarian authorities and the European Commission, which volition let america to reason each issues by August 31, contempt the hard enactment and enactment passim the summer," Magyar told reporters astatine a property league connected Monday evening successful Budapest.

"And these galore trillions of forints volition past get successful Hungary connected schedule, quickly, but connected schedule, during the fall," helium added.

Hungary risks losing €10.4bn successful betterment backing if it fails to conscionable the August 31 deadline to unlock the money. The funds had been blocked owed to rule-of-law concerns nether the ‌Orbán government.Magyar — who is expected to question to Brussels the pursuing Monday — said technical-level discussions with the European Commission were underway and would proceed successful the Hungarian superior done Friday.

"The August 31 deadline whitethorn not look similar specified a abbreviated time, but determination is simply a batch to do. Not lone bash we person to amend and hold connected laws, but we besides person to alteration organization systems," Magyar told reporters.

Magyar besides said helium had exchanged letters with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen regarding outstanding issues. He added that his authorities would cull immoderate Commission demands related to the phasing retired of windfall taxes connected the fiscal and vigor sectors.

"There are requests from the Commission regarding the Hungarian budget, which we volition not fulfil. Sometimes, by the way, these requests contradict each other. One time they expect america to stabilise the budget, and past they besides archer america to signifier retired immoderate taxes," Magyar said.

The caller Hungarian authorities is besides expected to taxable a revised spending program for the betterment funds earlier the extremity of May. Magyar said the erstwhile programme was presently nether review, with precedence fixed to projects considered some feasible and genuinely beneficial to the public.

"We evidently privation suburban trains, railway renovation, energy-related projects and energy grid development. Those indispensable beryllium genuinely utile for Hungarian nine and Hungarian companies," helium said.

Magyar besides announced that his authorities was reviewing Hungary's defence indebtedness petition nether the EU's Security Action for Europe (SAFE) programme, the bloc’s main fiscal instrumentality for supporting defence preparedness crossed the European Union.

The erstwhile Orbán authorities had requested €16bn for defence projects — the highest per-capita magnitude among SAFE recipients. Magyar said the Orbán government's volition had been "to enactment the Hungarian radical successful indebtedness to capable their crony companies with cash."