EU lawmakers urge caution on unlocking billions for Hungary amid corruption concerns
Budget committee MEPs say the European Commission is moving too quickly to release €4.2 billion and restart Erasmus+ in Hungary, warning that corruption risks and weak political pluralism remain.
The European Commission’s plan to release €4.2 billion and restart the Erasmus+ student-exchange scheme in Hungary has been criticised by budget-committee MEPs as overly swift. The funding was frozen in 2022 over rule-of-law violations and suspected misuse of EU money by the Orbán government. Green MEP Daniel Freund suggested a staged release, citing ongoing reforms under Prime Minister Péter Magyar that are still incomplete.
Fellow MEP Jean-Marc Germain warned that corruption risks and fragile new legislation remain, and highlighted the absence of real political pluralism, with many companies still controlled by the same elite. The proposal now requires approval from the EU council, and parliamentarians see their role as a pressure point despite the commission and council holding the decisive vote.
Why it matters
The decision will affect billions of euros for Hungary and test the EU’s ability to enforce rule-of-law standards.
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