Tibor Navracsics, the regional development minister, said that should the European Parliament approve related legislation on time, EU funding could be accessible for Hungary by April or May 2023.
Navracsics told Magyar Nemzet that the Hungarian government and the European Commission have always discussed contentious issues and differences of opinion, and will continue to do so. The paper noted that Hungary had signed all agreements with the European Commission facilitating access to EU funds by the end of the year, adding that an advance payment of 130 billion forints (EUR 323m) was expected to arrive, after which public tenders would be announced and actual projects could be launched. Commenting on “attacks” against the government during the talks, Navracsics said the EC had raised no objections, other than in points of “political tastes”. As regards the timetable for the releasing of the funds, Navracsics said consultations would be held in the coming weeks with Elisa Ferreira, European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, to be followed by parliamentary approval of a package of related laws at the end of March. If the March deadline is met, the EC said the release of funds could follow in April or May, Navracsics said