Hungary must strengthen its judiciary “soon” to recover billions from the EU, official says – #Hungary #strengthen #judiciary #recover #billions #official
BRUSSELS, February 18 (Reuters) – Europe A high-ranking official of the Union said that Hungary court should strengthen the independence of the system “very soon” that the 15.4 intended for Budapest billion any of the euro Europe Have a real chance to receive your union’s COVID recovery stimulus.
Hungary is about 5.8 from the EU billion euro (6,20 billion dollars) free grant and another 9.6 billion euros cheaper credit can buy, but block Budapest court has suspended any payments until it implements reforms to improve its independence and fight corruption.
Europe The deputy head of the commission, Vera Jourova, said after the negotiations held by the Hungarian delegation at its headquarters in Brussels: “They will have to adopt laws that will strengthen the position of judges and strengthen the fight against corruption.” EU executive this week.
Jourova, who is responsible for upholding democratic standards in the 27-nation bloc, added that improving public procurement in Hungary is another requirement.
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“These are very specific things that the Hungarian government has promised to fix or install soon … time is working against them,” he said.
Hungary and Poland are the only EU member states behind in receiving funding amid long-running criticism from the Commission that their nationalist, populist governments undermine democracy and the rule of law.
Last year, Brussels suspended Budapest’s recovery funds and froze another 7.5 billion euros that Hungary would normally receive from the EU budget as part of transfers to the bloc’s poorer member states. offer did
European tax payers “don’t want their money to go to places where there is no respect for the rule of law, where life is very difficult for LGBT or other minorities,” Jourova said.
NO TRUST
During his 12 years in power, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has had many acrimonious disputes with Brussels over gay and migrant rights, as well as tightening state control over non-governmental organizations, academics, the courts and the media.
But under pressure from double-digit inflation at home, he has tried to find a deal with Brussels on money, while at the same time clashing with the EU over issues such as support for Ukraine and punishing Russia for aggression against its neighbour.
In his speech on Saturday, Orban said that EU sanctions against Russia are an example of the wrong policy put forward by the Commission.
“Instead of help, we only get new and new sanctions from Brussels. “The Brussels bureaucracy deliberately did not give Hungary and Poland our rightful share of the European recovery program,” he said.
“We are in 2022, the most difficult year, together with the member states credit We couldn’t get the money he took, and we Hungarians will have to pay back our share. Hungary.”
The EU Commission has set a one-year deadline for accessing the COVID funds, although several countries have said they need more time to spend the big emergency package.
Hungary has yet to win the Commission’s approval before it can get the money, and first court system, public procurement and corruption 20must fulfill more than 10 conditions or “stages”.
“These super stages for the court must be implemented soon,” said Jurova for this to be a reality.
The bloc has also long frowned on what international watchdogs say is Orbán’s channeling of EU funds to partners to power. Orban says that Hungary is no more corrupt than others.
“Unfortunately, at the current stage, there is a lack of trust in the Hungarian government”, Jourova said that relations with Budapest are tense. ($1 = 0.9351 euros)
Added by Krisztina Than reportwriting by Gabriela Baczynska, editing by Clelia Oziel
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2023-02-19 01:32:20
Source – reuters
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