FILE - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks at CPAC in Dallas, Aug. 4, 2022. Former President Donald Trump is meeting Friday, March 8, 2024, with Orban, a prominent conservative populist whose crackdowns in Hungary have sparked criticism that he’s eroding that country’s democracy. The meeting comes as Hungary has had conflicts with President Joe Biden’s administration.
The release of the funds came on the eve of a major decision on Ukraine for which Orban’s consent was needed. Parliamentarians from several groups said that the necessary rule of law commitments needed to release over 10 billions euros in funds were not met by Orban and claimed the approval by the Commission was a mere bargaining chip to make sure that he would lift his longstanding objections to opening EU membership talks with Ukraine.
One day after the funds were approved, Orban made a stunning reversal at a summit of EU leaders in December and by letting his time window to oppose the decision lapse, paved the way for it to proceed.“The court case will go ahead to clarify the Commission’s role and margins of discretion about unfreezing of cohesion funds for Hungary. What is looked for is legal certainty,” said a parliament official, with immediate knowledge of the move.