Hungary’s Minister for EU Affairs János Bóka has sounded the alarm: EU-funded NGOs, many of which previously relied on U.S. money, are actively working to destabilize political systems across Europe.
Hungary is now calling for full disclosure of EU funding agreements with NGOs to ensure that taxpayer money is not misused for political manipulation.
For years, international organizations such as USAID funded NGOs across Europe under the guise of promoting democracy. In reality, these organizations have acted as political operatives, pushing progressive ideological agendas and interfering in national politics. After the new Trump administration shut off funding to USAID, Brussels has stepped in to fill the financial void, creating new funding pipelines through programs like the Citizens, Equality, Rights, and Values (CERV) program.
The CERV program, initially intended to support fundamental rights, has instead become a tool to bankroll left-liberal activist groups, many of which are directly or indirectly tied to George Soros and his influence network. These organizations push policies that many European citizens reject, receiving millions to lobby EU institutions, attack conservative governments, and pressure national decision-makers to comply with Brussels' ideological agenda.
This form of influence brokering represents a clear case of political corruption, where taxpayer money is funneled into a network of NGOs that serve as unofficial political operatives for Brussels. In Hungary alone, €13 million has been allocated to activist groups working against the democratically elected government. These organizations, funded by European taxpayers, are effectively undermining the sovereignty of the very countries that finance them.
At the latest EU Council meeting, Minister Bóka put forward two key proposals:
- First, the European Commission must disclose all agreements made with NGOs and allow member states to review where the money is going.
- Second, EU funding for NGOs must be subjected to the same transparency standards that Brussels demands from national governments.
As Minister Bóka stated, member states and EU citizens have the right to know which organizations are being financed with their tax money and what political activities they engage in. Yet, despite repeated calls for transparency, the European Commission has resisted oversight, continuing to distribute funds to a select group of politically aligned NGOs.
This is not an isolated issue—it is part of a larger pattern of political engineering. EU-funded NGOs routinely influence media narratives, push biased corruption rankings, and even lobby against their own governments. Reports have revealed how Brussels has created an NGO propaganda complex, funding organizations that serve its political objectives while marginalizing dissent.
The Transparency International corruption index, for example, is widely used to justify political actions against Hungary, despite being based on subjective, biased surveys. Meanwhile, NGOs funded by CERV and other EU programs work hand-in-hand with Brussels to create a self-reinforcing cycle of influence.
Hungary’s stance is clear. No more shadow financing. No more political corruption. No more unchecked influence operations under the pretense of civil society support.
Member states must have a say in how EU funds are allocated, and European citizens deserve to know where their money is going. Without transparency, Brussels simply has zero credibility.
It is time for the European Commission to apply the same transparency standards to itself that it imposes on member states. Anything less is hypocrisy.