Members of the European Parliament from Hungary’s Fidesz-KDNP party are urging the European Union to release funds currently withheld from the country without conditions. Approximately €6.3 billion, tied to three Hungarian operational programmes, has been frozen since 2022. This amount accounts for about 55% of the funds designated for these initiatives. The Hungarian MEPs are also advocating for the disbursement of money from the EU’s post-pandemic Recovery and Resilience Facility and the broader cohesion funds that Hungary was promised.
The MEPs claim that Hungary secured roughly €22 billion in additional cohesion funds in 2020, accusing European institutions of withholding some of this money due to political motivations. In light of this, they have proposed an €11 billion increase to the EU budget for 2027. Included in this proposal is an allocation of an additional €2.5 billion for the Common Agricultural Policy, with a focus on bolstering support for young farmers, the wine sector, and beekeeping industry.
In another move, Hungarian members of the Patriots for Europe group have suggested that the EU agricultural crisis fund be increased from €450 million to €900 million. This proposal comes as a response to recent droughts that have led to crop failures and increased costs for livestock farmers. The Hungarian MEPs are also calling for enhanced funding for border protection, a reimbursement of Hungary’s expenses for border control, and a reconsideration of the EU migration pact.
Furthermore, they demand the restoration of Erasmus programme funding for Hungarian university students, which was affected by participation restrictions. Alongside these funding appeals, the Fidesz-KDNP delegation has suggested a €250 million cut in EU funding for civil society organisations, arguing that these funds exert politically motivated pressure on member states.