It's a showdown between Budapest and Brussels.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban accused the European Commission on Friday 2 December of freezing aid funds for "political reasons". 

13 billion euros of blocked funds 

The European Commission had recommended, on Wednesday, the freezing of more than 13 billion euros of European funds intended for Hungary, in response in particular to the problems of corruption identified in this country. 

The European executive has chosen to stand firm against the nationalist leader.

And this despite the "blackmail" of which the latter is accused, Budapest blocking the common aid plan of 18 billion euros for Ukraine and the minimum tax on the profits of multinationals. 

Under pressure from the European Parliament, the Commission has proposed to the Member States, who have until December 19 to decide, to suspend 7.5 billion in cohesion funds which were to be paid to Hungary under the 2021 budget. 2027. 

The European executive has also decided to validate Hungary's post-Covid recovery plan, to the tune of 5.8 billion euros, but by attaching it to 27 conditions, which include the 17 anti-corruption measures, as well as reforms to improve the independence of the judiciary. 

Brussels “does not like the Hungarian government”, according to Orban 

In an interview with public radio on Friday, Viktor Orban accused "the Brussels bureaucrats" of postponing the implementation of a support plan for Hungary for "obvious political reasons". 

"On a few fundamental issues, there are differences of opinion between the EU and Hungary... and it is for this reason that (Brussels) does not like the Hungarian government", affirmed Viktor Orban. 

Brussels "demands the opening of our borders to migrants, but we will not do it, the introduction in our schools of their sexual propaganda, but we will not do it", he said.

Brussels "also demands our unconditional support for sanctions and war (against Moscow), but that too, we will not do," he warned. 

"Even if the bureaucrats in Brussels are unfair to Hungary by always setting new conditions, we must strive to reach an agreement" with the EU, added the nationalist leader. 

However, Budapest's reaction on Wednesday was intended to be constructive.

“We are going to put in place the additional measures required and in 2023, we have no doubt that we will manage to convince the Commission”, assured the Hungarian negotiator, Tibor Navracsics. 

With AFP

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