Orban of Hungary Threatens EU Budget Due to Frozen Funds

Budapest (Eurotoday Newspaper) – Viktor Orban, Hungary’s PM, said on Saturday that Hungary’s government will not support the EU’s new seven-year budget until all of the EU’s suspended funds are unlocked.

This month, the European Commission released a EU budget proposal of 2 trillion euros for 2028 to 2034. The proposal emphasises a significant focus on economic competitiveness and defence. Budget negotiations can be among the most difficult topics in EU politics, and disputes over the budget reveal the political and economic rifts among EU member states.

Orban has had disagreements with the EU for 15 years concerning migration policy, policies limiting LGBTQ rights, and what Orban’s critics would call a decline in democracy in Hungary. The EU has withheld billions of funding directed towards Hungary during a disagreement over rule of law.

“The approval of the new seven-year budget requires unanimity and until we get the remaining (frozen) funds, there won’t be a new EU budget either,”

Orban said in a speech at a summer university in the Romanian town of Baile Tusnad.

What accusations did Orban level against Brussels?

He condemned the EU for backing Kyiv, also accusing Brussels of conspiring to create a

“pro-Ukraine and pro-Brussels governing group”

in Hungary at next year’s national election.

Then Orban said “globalist bureaucrats” were plotting to “drain Europe’s money into Ukraine” while “our farmers are rising up to defend their future”.

He also stated that the EU’s current leadership is steering the bloc toward a trade war that Europe “cannot win.”

“The current leadership of the EU will always be the last to sign deals with the United States and always the worst deals,”

Orban added, demanding a change in the EU’s leadership.

How does Orban justify his stance on Ukraine aid?

Orbán had repeatedly utilised Hungary’s power of veto to stop EU decisions on Ukraine and issues related to EU sanctions on Russia. He noted in mid-2025 that Hungary halted negotiations on Ukraine’s membership in the EU, on the premise that admitting a country that was at war would make Hungary also a party to a war. 

He indicated that entering into a treaty, like the one proposed by the EU, could jeopardise Hungary’s security and increase the difficulty of unity in the EU.

How much EU funding is still suspended for Hungary?

Depending on unconfirmed reports, as of now, the EU has suspended approximately €18 billion of reserved funds for Hungary as a result of the rule-of-law saga. This total includes roughly €8.4 billion of cohesion funds and €9.5 billion of COVID recovery funds.

The funds are still frozen because


Comments

12 responses to “Orban of Hungary Threatens EU Budget Due to Frozen Funds”

  1. Darkside Hooker Avatar
    Darkside Hooker

    Looks like Viktor’s expecting the EU to unlock the funds faster than a Budapest taxi driver dodges potholes. We’ll see if the budget’s more fluid than a Hungarian goulash! 😏

  2. Oh, lovely, Orban playing hardball with the EU budget again—what a refreshing change of pace. Who knew standing still in a political standoff could be so financially lucrative? 💸😏

  3. AxelRoad Avatar
    AxelRoad

    Oh, look at our dear Viktor, playing the budget game like a kid in a candy store—except the candy’s all been locked up! 🍬💰 As if the EU hasn’t got enough on its plate without Hungary’s melodrama adding extra seasoning!

  4. Baby Spell Avatar
    Baby Spell

    Sooo, Viktor’s playing the classic ‘if I don’t get my toys back, no one gets to play’ card with the EU budget—brilliant strategy, mate! 🤷‍♂️ Always a pleasure to watch the political circus unfold in real time! 🎪

  5. Typical Orban, holding the EU budget hostage like a kid with a toy, pouting until he gets his way. Guess some people never outgrow their tantrums, eh? 😏💰

  6. Snow Cream Avatar
    Snow Cream

    Oh, isn’t it charming how Orban thinks he can hold the EU budget hostage? It’s like a toddler refusing to eat his veggies, but with €18 billion at stake! 😏💸

  7. divine quasar Avatar
    divine quasar

    Looks like Orban’s got a classic case of “no cash, no deal” – must be a Hungarian way of negotiating, or maybe just another episode of “EU Budget: The Never-Ending Saga.” 😂💸

  8. RedFisher Avatar
    RedFisher

    Seems like Viktor’s playing a lovely game of financial chicken with the EU—who knew budget negotiations could be as thrilling as watching paint dry? 🇭🇺💸

  9. Pink Nightmare Avatar
    Pink Nightmare

    Looks like Orban’s just discovered that holding a budget hostage is the new black in EU politics—who knew? 😏 Honestly, one might think he’s auditioning for a role in a soap opera with all this melodrama over a few frozen euros!

  10. Mule Skinner Avatar
    Mule Skinner

    Looks like Viktor’s playing a high-stakes game of poker with the EU budget, but I guess he thinks bluffing about frozen funds might just thaw the ice. 🤔💰

  11. Miss Lucky Avatar
    Miss Lucky

    Seems like Viktor’s playing a high-stakes game of poker with the EU budget—too bad he forgot his chips at home! 💸🙄

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