At the beginning of 2024, Viktor Orbán released roughly 10 billion EUR for his purposes.
Justice & Anti-CorruptionHungary
- Omissions
- The funds were unblocked in December 2023, not at the beginning of 2024 (approximately a one-month difference). The claim incorrectly states the timing.
- The unfreezing of funds was conditional and followed judicial reforms by Hungary.
- The timing was politically significant as it occurred one day before a key EU summit where Orbán had threatened to veto Ukraine support measures.
- The exact amount was €10.2 billion, not just 'roughly 10 billion'.
- The European Commission, not Viktor Orbán personally, made the decision to release the funds, though the claim attributes this to Orbán's purposes.
- Sources
- SecondaryPolitico EuropeThe European Commission on Wednesday unblocked €10.2 billion in frozen EU cohesion funds earmarked for Hungary on December 13, 2023, one day before European leaders were set to discuss Ukraine support.
- SecondaryEuronewsThe European Commission allowed on Wednesday (December 13, 2023) the release of €10 billion in cohesion funds for Hungary, almost a year after the money was frozen.
- SecondaryLe Monde (English edition)The European Commission unblocked €10.2 billion of funding for Hungary on December 13, 2023, before a key EU summit where Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had threatened to veto measures on Ukraine.