Hungarian lawmakers are delaying a crucial vote on the NATO accession bid of Finland and Sweden in a move that analysts believe is designed to exert pressure on the EU. The Union has frozen billions of euros in funding destined to Hungary over rule of law concerns and Budapest may be playing quid for pro […]
Hungary’s healthcare system has been in dire need of reform for decades but an all-encompassing solution is yet to be presented. The government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has launched several measures over recent years to address issues in healthcare but the latest steps have provoked significant resistance from doctors. Late last year, the government […]
Hungary’s economic competitiveness to a very large extent hinges on the government’s ability to ensure energy security for the country, according to the German Chamber of Commerce. In addition to energy costs, the security of supply is also for crucial businesses operating in Hungary. German foreign direct investment is a key engine of Hungary’s economy. […]
Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party faces probably the toughest year of its 13-year reign at the helm of the country. The economic picture is bleak and the silver lining very slim. The energy crisis engulfing Europe and Hungary, the ongoing stand-off with the EU and consequent freezing of funds, and the impact of the war in […]
Hungary's government is ready to sue the European Commission over the latter’s decision to cut off some Hungarian universities from EU funding. The move is part of a larger EU action package aimed at forcing Hungary to remedy measures related to judiciary independence, academic freedoms, LGBT rights and the asylum system. The EU announced this […]
Hungary struck a mega deal with the European Union this week to reduce the amount of funds the bloc proposed to freeze. In return, the Hungarian government lifted its veto on the financial aid package for Ukraine. Monday night brought a temporary resolution to Hungary’s biggest standoff with the European Union. Member states approved Hungary’s […]
The EU Commission will propose holding back some of the EU funds earmarked for Hungary citing the Hungarian government failure to implement rule of law and anti-corruption measures. At stake are more than EUR 7 billion, cash that Hungary badly needs at a time when inflation is above 20% and the economy is forecast to […]
Hungary opened a new front in its ongoing standoff with the European Union when it said it would not support the bloc’s plan for a support package for war-torn Ukraine. Hungary’s move comes as the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is running a popular campaign against EU sanctions on Russia. The European Union this […]
Energy procurement and security is yet another matter where the Hungarian government and Brussels are taking diverging paths. Budapest has firmly rejected proposals for a mandatory joint EU gas procurement and a solidarity mechanism at the Energy Council in Luxembourg this week and the Cabinet of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is dead set against a […]
The Hungarian government decided to set up an anti-corruption authority that will work together with non-government organizations to oversee the spending of European Union funds. The move comes as Budapest seeks to unlock billions of euros in EU development funds that Brussels suspended on claims of state-level corruption and a decline in the rule of […]
The Hungarian government is hoping to reach a deal with the European Commission to unblock billions of euros in EU funds by the end of August. The Cabinet of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is seeking to diffuse a long-standing conflict between Budapest and Brussels over democratic standards, rule of law and corruption. Following years of […]
Hungary’s finance minister vetoed an EU directive on a global minimum corporate tax, leaving the outgoing French EU Presidency without its crown achievement. The move is seen as yet another front in Hungary’s standoff with the bloc. Hungarian Finance Minister Mihály Varga blocked a European Union initiative to implement a global minimum corporate tax rate […]
The government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest ally in the European Union, is performing a delicate balancing act as Russian begins its invasion of Ukraine. While the government condemned the Russian military action and backed the sanctions proposed by the EU, Orbán made it clear that Hungary will stay out […]
The European Court of Justice delivered a historic ruling this week that ties EU fund payments to the rule of law. The decision allows Brussels to withhold funds from Hungary and Poland, two countries that Brussels has accused of failing to uphold democratic standards. Hungary has long been at loggerheads with the European Union over […]
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe said that Hungary’s general elections scheduled for April 3 should be monitored by a full-scale international election observation delegation. The unusual recommendation for a European Union member country comes after political analysts warned of the risk of rigged elections in the country, claims that were strongly refuted […]
