Next week, we can expect important decisions regarding the European Union funds due to our country. László Dornfeld, senior analyst at the Center for Fundamental Rights, told the Hungarian Nation: The European Commission's Commissioner for Budget and Administrative Affairs, the Austrian Johannes Hahn, sent a letter on December 9 to the Czech Minister of Finance, who holds the position of chairman of the Economic and Financial Council (Ecofin), which brings together finance ministers, that  

the Commission does not make any substantive changes to the evaluation issued on November 30 in the case of the rule of law conditionality procedure against our country. The Commission still maintains its proposal for corrective measures, including the proportion of cohesion funds proposed for suspension.

In its resolution at the end of November, the Commission also acknowledged that it found problems in only three of the seventeen commitments formulated for Hungary in September, but

despite the Hungarian government's willingness to compromise, it did not reduce the amount proposed for freezing: the EU board still proposed the suspension of 7.5 billion euros.

According to press reports, even the Council was genuinely surprised by this, which - in the spirit of proportionality - wanted to reduce the amount, so it repeatedly asked the Commission to review its position.

The expert also drew attention to the fact that, according to Hahn's letter, this did not materially take place. According to the news, the dominant Member States of the Council, such as Germany, France and Italy, were also afraid that the Commission's attitude, which does not take into account the efforts of the Member States, would set a bad precedent and lead to the Commission's overpowering.

László Dornfeld put it this way: it was not very likely from the beginning that the Commission would change the amount to be frozen. According to him, the European Parliament - especially its voices critical of the Hungarian government's policy, such as the German Daniel Freund or the Belgian Guy Verhofstadt - put the board under very serious pressure. The EP even put a no-confidence motion into perspective, if the Commission shows a willingness to compromise with our country.

- So the Commission did not want to take it upon itself to terminate the procedure against Hungary or to significantly reduce the amount proposed for suspension - emphasized the expert. László Dornfeld added that the Commission was probably afraid that it would result in a loss of face if it reduced the originally imposed amount already in the second round.

László Dornfeld highlighted: If the committee's proposal does not receive a majority before the Council, the EU funds will not be suspended and the procedure will end. If the Council amends the proposal, reducing the amount to be frozen, it will be forced to bear the political attack of the left-wing majority of the European Parliament. However, it is likely that either by supporting the Commission's original proposal or by amending it, the Council, which brings together the member states, will reach a common denominator by the December 19 deadline. - This would mean the adoption of the Hungarian recovery plan and the determination of the necessary steps for the conclusion of the rule of law procedure in 2023 and the release of the suspended funds - added the expert of the Center for Fundamental Rights.

Source: Hungarian Nation

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