Hungary's prime minister-elect, Péter Magyar, has returned from Brussels with a promise that billions of euros in frozen EU funds will be released to Budapest. After his first meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Magyar described the talks as "extremely constructive and successful," stating that "EU resources will soon arrive in Hungary."
Magyar's Tisza party won a landslide victory on 12 April, ending 16 years of Viktor Orbán's rule. Orbán had run a campaign largely hostile to the EU, accusing Magyar of being a Brussels puppet. Now, Magyar aims to unlock funds frozen due to concerns over democratic backsliding and corruption under Orbán.
The funds include €10.4 billion from the EU's Covid-19 recovery fund, which must be accessed before the end of August. Additional sums—€6.3 billion in cohesion funds and up to €16.1 billion in cheap EU defence loans—are also within reach, provided Hungary meets rule-of-law and anti-corruption conditions. Magyar's party holds a two-thirds "super-majority" in parliament, enabling constitutional changes to push through reforms.
Magyar also met European Council President António Costa, posting afterward that "Hungary was, is and will be in Europe." He plans to return to Brussels on 25 May to sign a political agreement. The incoming prime minister, who takes office on 9 May, is moving quickly to revive Hungary's stagnant economy and reset relations with Ukraine, offering to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky in June.
Von der Leyen said the Commission would "support your work to address these issues and realign with shared European values." Magyar's colleague Márton Hajdu noted that the conditions are simple: no corruption and no government interference with courts. But with time running out, the new government faces a tight deadline.