Hungary election winner Magyar outlines shift in Ukraine and Russia sanctions policy
Leader of Tisza party and future prime minister of Hungary Péter Magyar (photo: Getty Images)
Winner of elections in Hungary, Péter Magyar is developing a large-scale plan to normalize relations with European Union after 16 years of rule by Viktor Orbán, Politico reports.
What Magyar wants
The main priority of the new government is to unblock 18 billion euros from European Union funds frozen due to violations of democratic principles during the Orbán era.
In addition, Magyar wants to:
- Gain access to about 16 billion euros in European defense loans;
- Cancel the daily fine of 1 million euros imposed by the European Union on Hungary for violations of migration legislation.
What Brussels demands
Funds will not be returned just like that. Brussels sets specific conditions.
Hungary is expected to:
- Lift veto on European Union loan for Ukraine worth 90 billion euros;
- Support a new package of sanctions against Russia;
- Stop blocking the start of official negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union.
Magyar said he will seek "compromises" at the European Union level and wants "to make decision-making easier."
He immediately made it clear that he will not block a loan to Kyiv. He also stressed that he has a constitutional majority of two-thirds of votes in parliament, which allows him to carry out large-scale judicial reforms and unfreeze funds.
Regarding Moscow, Magyar made it clear that he wants to keep a distance. At the same time, he said that Hungary will continue to buy Russian oil, although sanctions should remain in force.
Magyar is in a hurry, Politico writes. If rule of law reforms are not carried out by August, Hungary will lose a significant part of European Union funds.
The future prime minister has already asked the Hungarian president to move the inauguration of parliament from May 12 to May 5 in order to present the official reform package faster.
At the same time, Hungary remains under investigation under Article 7 of the European Union treaties (a procedure that may lead to loss of voting rights in case of democratic violations). The next hearing to assess Budapest's position is scheduled for the end of May.
Earlier, future prime minister of Hungary Péter Magyar said he will not block the European Union loan for Ukraine worth 90 billion euros that was frozen by his predecessor Orbán.
At the same time, he ruled out Ukraine's membership in the European Union in the next 10 years and did not deny energy dependence on Russia, saying that Hungary will have to negotiate with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.
