The rejection of the EU’s joint loan for Ukraine reinforces critical voices in the EU against Hungary, Czech European Affairs Minister Mikuláš Bek said on Tuesday.
On Friday, Bek – as the minister of the EU presidency state – will chair the General Affairs Council (GAC) meeting in Brussels, where Hungary and the protection of the rule of law will be rediscussed.
On Monday, the Hungarian government announced it opposed the EU jointly loaning financial aid to Ukraine next year, as proposed by the European Commission. The EU executive proposed the EU provide Ukraine with an €18 billion loan in 2023. However, the EU needs consensus for such a move.
“In any case, this polarises the situation in the Council and strengthens the critical voices against Hungary. Every Hungarian veto that comes along, and there are quite a few in different areas, will strengthen the critical positions,” Bek said.
As Czech News Agency reported, Hungary’s stance on giving support to Ukraine has raised suspicion in EU circles. Some diplomats consider it to be a Hungarian attempt to reach some concessions in the rule of law disputes. In other words – Hungary could offer to other EU states that it would withdraw its veto in case the EU does not punish Hungary for the breaches of rule of law.
Hungary is currently at risk of being cut off from billions from the EU budget. Moreover, it is the last EU Member state without an approved recovery and resilience plan.
According to Bek, Hungary needs the money very urgently because of the country’s rather dramatic economic situation, which continues to worsen. “Hungary has clearly shown some willingness to accommodate critical comments from the European Commission in recent months,” he said. But he does not expect a major shift immediately.
(Aneta Zachová | EURACTIV.cz)
Source: euractiv.com
