Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on July 26 that Budapest would block the new seven-year European Union budget unless Brussels unfroze all frozen funds for the country.
Points of attention
- Viktor Orban threatens to block the new EU budget unless frozen funds for Hungary are unfrozen, citing conflicts over the rule of law.
- The Hungarian Prime Minister criticizes the EU's support for Ukraine and accuses Brussels of interfering in Hungary's elections.
- Orban warns of a potential trade war with the US under the current EU leadership, calling for a change in the bloc's leadership.
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Orban said this in a speech at a summer university in the Romanian city of Beile-Tusnad.
Approval of the new seven-year budget requires unanimity, and until we receive the remaining frozen funds, there will be no new EU budget either.
Viktor Orban
Prime Minister of Hungary
The European Union previously suspended the disbursement of billions of euros earmarked for Hungary amid a dispute over the rule of law in the country.
It is noted that the European Commission has proposed an EU budget for 2028-2034 of 2 trillion euros with an emphasis on economic competitiveness and defense.
Also during his speech, Orban criticized the EU for supporting Ukraine and accused Brussels of plans to install a "pro-Ukrainian and pro-Brussels government" in Hungary in next year's elections.
Among other things, he accused EU leaders of risking a trade war with the administration of US President Donald Trump, which Europe "cannot win."
The current EU leadership will always be the last to sign agreements with the United States, and always the worst agreements, Orban added, calling for a change in the bloc's leadership.
Meanwhile, Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar promised on Saturday to ensure the recovery of all frozen EU funds if his Tisza party wins the 2026 parliamentary elections.
