The cat is out of the bag – European Commission admits why it is withholding Hungarian recovery funds

Yesterday, the European Commission admitted that, after all, it is because of the Hungarian Child Protection Act that it is withholding recovery funds from Hungary. Fidesz MEP Enikő Győri noted that “the Commission’s sabotage so far has turned out to be illegal. This procedure is unacceptable and a serious breach of the Treaties and of the principle of equality between Member States. This kind of political game makes fair competition impossible and deeply undermines the unity of the Union”.

Hungary was one of the first to submit its national recovery plan back in May 2021 and has been actively involved in consultations with the Commission. The Hungarian recovery plan was on track for adoption. The negotiations reached a stalemate following the adoption of the Hungarian Child Protection Act.

The Commission appears to have put the adoption of the Hungarian plan on hold on political grounds, which it has so far denied. Left-wing economic policy commissioner Paolo Gentiloni formally admitted yesterday at the ECOFIN Council that there is indeed a link between the Hungarian child protection law and the withholding of recovery funds.

MEP Enikő Győri stressed: “Commissioner Gentiloni accused Hungary of practising discrimination in education. Allowing parents to decide on the sexual education of their children is not discrimination, it is a matter of national competence and cannot be linked to the disbursement of EU funds. Hungary is entitled to this money in the same way as the other Member States. The further withholding of payments is an attempt to hinder the development of the Hungarian economy and to put Hungarian people at a disadvantage.”

We expect the French Presidency not to allow this practice to continue, that is, it should expect the Commission to stop this illegal behaviour and to submit the Hungarian recovery plan to the Council for approval without further ado.