Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán recently sent a letter to the presidents of the EU institutions threatening to veto the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021-2027 because of his displeasure at the agreement on the link between the disbursement of EU funds and respect for the Rule of law.
A spokesperson for the institution on Monday 9 November confirmed that the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, had received the letter.
“Although Hungary is committed to cooperation, in light of the latest developments, it cannot guarantee the unanimity required to adopt the July package” on the MFF and Recovery Plan, writes the Hungarian Prime Minister.
Unanimity is required to adopt the MFF in the EU Council and to ratify by national parliament the Own Resources decision, which implements the €750 billion Recovery Plan.
The European Parliament and the EU Council reached agreement on the mechanism linking the disbursement of EU funds to respect for the Rule of law (see EUROPE 12596/2).
Mr Orbán believes that “the proposed sanction mechanism is based on vague legal definitions” that create potential for “political abuses”.
Warsaw and Budapest reiterated their fierce hostility to this ‘Rule of law conditionality’ mechanism. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)