Hungarian politician: EU green light for recovery plan ‘big step forward’

EU approval of Hungary’s recovery plan as reported in the press “is a big step forward”, Tibor Navracsics told a press briefing on Thursday.

The minister for regional development said it appeared that by the end of the year Hungary would be able to conclude agreements with the European Commission, and Hungary would not lose its EU funding.

Hungary, he added, had met the 17 requirements stipulated by the European Commission, and pre-determined schedule for changing the power structure between the National Judicial Council and the National Judicial Office with a March 31 deadline was on course.

Navracsics said the government had not received official notification of the EC decision. However, press reports indicating that the commission may suspend payment of 65 percent of funding for the operational programmes implied that payments would be delayed rather than resources would be lost.

A deal on the partnership agreement “will be reached by the end of the year”, he said. Press reports indicate that the EC will recommend the adoption of Hungary recovery plan, he said, adding that reports of its position did not amount to “anything new”.

The minister said every step stipulated as part of the conditionality procedure had been carried out by the government in cooperation with the EC.

Gergely Gulyás, the prime minister’s chief of staff, said at the roundtable that Hungary would only lose EU funding if the partnership agreement with the EC was not signed this year.