The proposed Multiannual Financial Framework is unacceptable!

Press release of Kinga Gál and Tamás Deutsch

The European Parliament adopted this week the proposal of the European Commission concerning the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for the post-2020 period.

“The draft proposal would not increase but decrease the EU budget, despite the fact that numerous Member States, including Hungary, have claimed that they are ready to increase their contribution. The resources of the regional development and common agricultural policy must not be endangered by the proposals of the Commission. We must protect the interests of Hungarian farmers, businesses and citizens,” said Tamás Deutsch, Fidesz member of the budget committee.

“It’s a fiction to link EU funds to the rule of law, as introducing these subjective criteria would contradict the EU treaties. In my opinion, there is clearly a hidden aim behind the proposal to create a potential tool for blackmailing, which we cannot allow,” said Fidesz MEP Kinga Gál following the vote.

Over the past several years, Hungarian regions and companies have proven that they use the available sources well and successfully. The outstanding economic growth rates, continuously improving budgetary situation, declining unemployment, and increasing employment all show that since 2010, the Hungarian regions have taken the path of economic development. Hungary has successfully overcome the consequences of the flawed economic policies of the previous Socialist governments. It’s unacceptable that the European Commission’s proposal of withdrawing resources would punish these successful regions, which perform well according to EU standards,

The proposal cannot be supported by the Hungarian delegation of the European People’s Party, as tens of billions of EUR cohesion funds would be withdrawn from the new EU Member States. The convergence of the Central and Eastern European and Baltic members with the Western members remains far from finished.

“Central and Eastern Europe deserves the cohesion funds as we opened our markets to Western companies, which have since produced enormous profits in the region. Instead, the correct approach to the MFF would be to increase the resources available to Member States that are protecting the Schengen external borders and thus protecting the whole European Union,” said Kinga Gál.

EU development funds are not charity. Hungarian regions are entitled to these resources based on objective criteria. Now the European Commission would link subjective, so-called “rule of law” criteria to receiving EU resources. “Over the last few years,” said Tamás Deutsch, “Hungary has continuously proven that it upholds European values in every respect. According to all indicators, we stand at the forefront of the EU. We cannot allow any EU institution to consider cohesion funds as an instrument for political pressure.”