Hungary has fulfilled its commitments, now it’s up to Brussels

On Monday, the European Parliament’s Economic and Budgetary committees reviewed together the state of play on the use of recovery funds in the presence of Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni. Fidesz MEP Andor Deli pointed out that “time is running out; Brussels could be on the brink of a debt crisis”. Commenting on the debate, Fidesz MEP Enikő Győri emphasized: “Hungary has delivered on all its commitments, it is time for the Commission to do the same.”

During the meeting, MEP Andor Deli pointed out that the skyrocketing interest costs of the EU’s Recovery Fund mean that the €14.9 billion earmarked for this purpose in the EU budget will run out this summer. The Commission will have to ask member states to pay another €18.9 billion when amending the multiannual financial framework of the EU to avoid a debt crisis. The MEP noted that Commissioner Gentiloni had denied the threat of a debt crisis but was unable to back up his claim with facts.

MEP Enikő Győri stressed, “A few months ago, Commissioners Gentiloni and Dombrovskis replied to me that if the conditions are met, they will not raise any further demands towards our country, so the disbursement of the funds can start. None of this has materialised. Brussels is now hiding its procrastination behind the obligation to comply with country-specific recommendations, but they are always waiting for new conditions to be met, which are proving to be moving targets. This can be seen, for example, in the negotiation of the RePowerEU chapter, originally intended to address the energy crisis, when the Commission is now also imposing conditions on the labour market, which is the exclusive competence of the Member States and has nothing to do with energy supply. The process and expectations are therefore not objective and accountable. Where is the rule of law in the EU institutions?” asked MEP Enikő Győri.