EU unlocks €10 bln of funding for Hungary on eve of summit

On December 13, the EU Commission unblocked 10 billion euros for Budapest that had been frozen due to problems with the rule of law in Hungary, Euronews reports.

The decision to unblock the funds was made on the eve of the EU summit to be held on December 14-15 in Brussels. One of the main issues at the summit is to approve the start of negotiations on Ukraine's membership in the EU.

The EU Commission has unfrozen payments to Hungary amid tensions in the political environment, as the PM Viktor Orban intensifies his opposition campaign to prevent the opening of Ukraine's EU accession talks and the allocation of 50 billion euros to Kyiv over the next four years.

According to The Guardian, the European Commission's decision was criticized by MEPs and experts.

The EU Commission stated that it would "closely and continuously monitor" the measures taken by Hungary in the field of the rule of law.

"After a thorough assessment and several exchanges with the Hungarian government, the Commission considers that Hungary has taken the measures it has committed to take so that the Commission considers that the horizontal condition of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is fulfilled insofar as it relates to the independence of the judiciary," the EC said in a statement.

The decision to unblock the funds was made by the Commission in connection with the adoption of laws by the Orban government to strengthen the independence of the judiciary. The unblocking took place on the eve of the EU summit, where Orban intends to block financial and political assistance to Ukraine.

On December 14-15, the EU leaders' summit is expected to approve a four-year, 50 billion euro aid package for Ukraine, as well as the start of accession negotiations. Hungary opposes such decisions, but speaks of certain compromises.