Hungary Expects EU Funds To Be Unlocked As Magyar Signals Break With Orbán Era

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief reporting from Budapest, Hungary

(Worthy News) – Incoming Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar said Wednesday he expects the European Union to soon unlock billions of euros (dollars) in funding frozen over corruption and rule-of-law concerns, after what he described as “highly constructive” talks in Brussels.

Magyar met Ursula von der Leyen, who heads the European Commission, the European Union’s executive arm, with both sides signaling progress toward a political agreement that could be finalized in late May.

“Negotiations are progressing very well,” Magyar said, adding that EU funds “will soon start arriving in Hungary” without conditions that would undermine national interests.

The funding—worth billions of euros (dollars)—has been frozen for years amid disputes between Brussels and the government of outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán over governance standards.

EU FUNDS TALKS

Ursula von der Leyen confirmed that discussions focused on steps needed to unlock the funds, saying the Commission would support Hungary in addressing concerns related to corruption and alignment with EU values.

At stake is a significant portion of Hungary’s recovery funds, including about 10 billion euros ($10.7 billion) that could expire if Budapest fails to meet EU conditions by the end of August.

Magyar, who is due to be sworn in on May 9, blamed the funding freeze on what he called “corruption on an industrial scale” under Orbán’s leadership.

He also said Hungary’s tax authority, National Tax and Customs Administration, had halted large-value transactions linked to associates of senior officials over suspected money laundering, though authorities did not immediately respond.

CORRUPTION CLAIMS

Magyar also claimed that some entrepreneurs with ties to the government were attempting to move assets abroad using private planes, though he did not provide evidence.

Among those mentioned was Antal Rogán, a close Orbán ally who previously faced U.S. sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act over alleged corruption. Rogán has denied wrongdoing, and the sanctions were lifted in 2025, in what critics described as a political decision rather than a legal exoneration.

Magyar also alleged that oligarchs linked to Orbán—including associates of businessman Lőrinc Mészáros—were transferring “tens of billions of forints” (at least tens of millions of dollars) to countries including the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and Uruguay. These claims could not be independently verified.

Separately, scrutiny has persisted around Orbán’s inner circle, including his son-in-law István Tiborcz, who was previously linked to a probe by the EU’s anti-fraud office, OLAF, into public lighting contracts.

EU SCRUTINY

Hungarian officials have denied wrongdoing, with Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó rejecting allegations that sensitive documents were improperly destroyed.

Magyar’s remarks underscore a sharp shift in tone ahead of his premiership, as he seeks to restore ties with Brussels and unlock critical funding for Hungary’s economy.

“Our country has no time to waste,” he said, warning that Hungary had been “plundered, looted, and indebted” in recent years—claims strongly rejected by Orbán and his allies.

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